Profile: Professor Jane Taylor OAM

Originally written for the University of Adelaide’s 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awards

A qualified dentist with specialist training in Forensic Odontology, Professor Jane Taylor OAM uses dentistry to find answers for families following the loss of a loved one. 

Graduating with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 1984, Jane worked as a dentist in the Riverland before spending two years abroad in London with the National Health Service. 

She returned to Adelaide to complete her Honours in forensic dentistry before playing a crucial role in victim identification following the 2002 Bali bombings, 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, and 2009 Victorian bushfires.

Today, she is based in Moscow where she is the Regional Manager of Forensics for Eurasia at the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Jane was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2003 for her service as part of Operation Alliance, the joint investigation and victim identification process following the Bali bombings.

She also received an Overseas Humanitarian Service Award in 2007 and an Australian Police Operations Medal in 2009, among a wealth of other accolades.

Despite this recognition, Jane said, “what I find most rewarding about my work is the ability to answer the questions of a family.”

In addition to her forensic work, she is a passionate dental educator. Jane worked as Director of the University of Adelaide’s Forensic Odontology Unit for four years before helping to establish the Bachelor of Oral Health program at the University of Newcastle in 2004. She remains a conjoint Professor at the University of Newcastle. 

“I’m motivated to train a new generation of dental practitioners with really good communication skills,” she said. 

“I’m really proud when someone says to me that I was an inspiration for them and their career path, that makes me feel it’s been a worthwhile journey.”