[7] Dent was born in Wandering, Western Australia, on a sheep and wheat farm, where she was raised with her five brothers and sisters.

[2][8] Dent attended boarding school and then university in Western Australia, where she decided to study teaching instead of journalism as planned.

In her work she recommends that growing children receive plenty of fresh air, exercise, good food, freedom to take risks and explore.

[13][17] Dent is a patron of the Bold Park Community School in Perth[18] and the Western Australia Association of Teacher Assistants (WAATA).

[22] This calls in to question the 'expert' label that Maggie Dent is afforded given she has no expert qualifications to substantiate her popularity and advice.