Next Step Dental Careers

About Us

Experienced dental practitioner and career coach

Dr Melanie Aley — dental practitioner and career coach

Dr Melanie Aley

Dr Melanie Aley is an AHPRA registered dental practitioner, with a passion for empowering dental professionals to seek meaningful and fulfilling careers. She has a PhD and Masters in Education, majoring in Career Development, and has enjoyed a diverse career in clinical practice, teaching, research and management.

With a background spanning clinical practice, higher education, research, and leadership, Mel brings a unique blend of experience to help oral health practitioners grow — wherever they are in their professional journey.

Her work is grounded in evidence-based career development theory, reflective practice, and real-world experience — helping practitioners make confident, well-informed decisions about their futures.

International Speaker

Mel is regularly invited to speak internationally and nationally on career development, leadership and professional practice. She was a keynote speaker at the 2019 International Symposium on Dental Hygiene, and invited speaker at the 2022 Young Professionals Conference for the Dutch Dental Hygienists Association.

Learn more about speaking

Published Papers

Mel has published widely on the topic of career development in the dental profession in peer-reviewed journals. She also writes a regular column for OHAA Connect, the quarterly publication of the Oral Health Association of Australia.

View publications

Podcast Host

Mel hosts the Oral Health Evidence Bites podcast — short, evidence-informed episodes designed to support clinicians to strengthen their clinical reasoning and build reflective habits for CPD.

Listen to the podcast

Ready to take your next step?

Whether you need personalised career planning, professional development resources, or expert guidance — Mel is here to help.

— GET STARTED TODAY —