Stella obtained her Bachelor of Dental Science with Honours at the University of Melbourne in 2012. She developed a strong interest in research early in her studies and received the GC Prize and the Australian Dental Research Foundation (ADRF) Undergraduate Research Grant. Her research on lysine acetylation and deacetylation in Porphyromonas gingivalis was presented at the IADR General Session in Brazil in 2012. Following graduation, Stella gained extensive clinical experience in both public and private dental practices across Victoria before returning to the University of Melbourne to complete a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Implants) in 2021, followed by a Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Periodontics) in 2024. She is a registered periodontist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and the New Zealand Dental Council. In addition to clinical practice, Stella is passionate about clinical education and is actively involved in teaching dental students through didactic seminars and clinical supervision.