Newcastle University

Roles and Responsibilities

Director Centre for Oral Health Research

Director Academic Clinical Lecturer Programme Newcastle Biomedicine
Course Organiser Gerodontology Teaching Programme

Qualifications

BDS (Newcastle) 1979
FDSRCS (England) 1982
PhD (Newcastle) 1986
FDSRCS (Edinburgh) 1998

Previous Positions

1982-85 MRC Training Fellowship
1985-90 Lecturer [New Blood Scheme]. Department of Operative Dentistry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
1990-94 Senior Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry within the Department of Operative Dentistry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Memberships

British Dental Association
British Society for Dental Research (President)
British Society of Gerodontology (Past-President)
British Society for Restorative Dentistry (Past-President)
British Society for the Study of Prosthetic Dentistry
European College of Gerodontology (Past-President)
European Prosthodontic Association
International Association for Dental Research (Treasurer)
Geriatric Oral Research group (Past-President)
Prosthodontic Research Group (Past-President)
The Academy of Operative Dentistry

Scientific Advisory Committee for Nutrition 

Honours and Awards

2003 Distinguished Scientist Award for Geriatric Oral Research, International Association for Dental Research
2009 Graham Embery Lecture, BSODR

Languages

Social French

Research Interests

The oral and dental problems of older people with natural teeth
The oral health status of older people is changing rapidly with many more older people retaining their natural teeth for longer, rather than relying upon full dentures. Consequently, the oral health needs of this population group are changing. This will impact both upon the individuals themselves and all carers for older persons.
There are established links between oral functional status (numbers of teeth) and the ability to chew. These influence in turn dietary intake and finally foods choice, resulting in reduced intakes of key nutrients including non-starch polysaccharides (fibre) and come vitamins. The consequences for systemic health of this dietary changes are unclear. Furthermore there is a gathering body of evidence that links inflammatory disease in the mouth with systemic effects, including cerebro vascular and coronary artery disease. These two entities remain substantial causes of mortality today. Improving the awareness of oral health in a general health context may result in significant benefits for a relatively modest investment in health care resources.
Finally, the increased numbers of older people with teeth will present challenges to the dental profession that will require careful and focussed management strategies if they are to be succesfully addressed.

Future Research

The impact of oral health status and nutrition on management and recovery form disease in older age
The relevance of oral health and nutrition to healthy ageing

Postgraduate Supervision

Fatin Hassanian (PhD)

Victoria Ewan (PhD)

Lucy Devepal (PhD)

Jacob Pattem (PhD)

Saniya Chaudry (PhD) 

Funding

Funding in excess of £500,000 from Industry, Charities, the Department of Health, MAFF and DEFRA

• Rolland SL, McCabe JF, Imazato S, Walls AWG. A Randomised Trial Comparing the Antibacterial Effects of Dentine Primers against Bacteria in Natural Root Caries. Caries Research 2011, 45(6), 574-580.
• Preshaw PM, Walls AWG, Jakubovics NS, Moynihan PJ, Jepson NJA, Loewy Z. Association of removable partial denture use with oral and systemic health. Journal of Dentistry 2011, 39(11), 711-719.
• Wassell RW, Walls AWG, Steele JG, Nohl F. A Clinical Guide to Crowns and Other Extra-coronal Restorations. London: British Dental Journal, 2002.
• Walls AW, Nohl FS, Wassell RW. Crowns and other extra-coronal restorations: Resin-bonded metal restorations. British Dental Journal 2002, 192(3), 135-142.
• Walls AWG, Whatley R, Wilson NHF, Basker RM, McConnell RM, Margraves L, Marshall KF, Plasschaert AJM, Qualtrough AJE, Setcos JC. British Isles symposium on the future of dental clinical skills training. In: Journal of Dentistry. 1999.
• Walls A. Cantilever FPDs Have Lower Success Rates Than End Abutted FPDs After 10-Years of Follow-up. Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice 2010, 10(1), 41-43.
• Ikebe K, Imazato S, Izutani N, Matsuda K, Ebisu S, Nokubi T, Walls AWG. Association of salivary Streptococcus mutans levels determined by rapid detection system using monoclonal antibodies with prevalence of root surface caries. American Journal of Dentistry 2008,21 5 283-287.
• Rolland SL, Carrick TE, Walls AW, McCabe JF. Dentin decontamination using chloramine T prior to experiments involving bacteria. Dental Materials 2007, 23(12), 1468-1472.
• Rolland SL, McCabe JF, Robinson C, Walls AWG. In vitro biofilm formation on the surface of resin-based dentine adhesives. European Journal of Oral Sciences 2006, 114(3), 243-249.
• Tsakos G, Steele JG, Marcenes W, Walls AWG, Sheiham A. Clinical correlates of oral health-related quality of life: Evidence from a national sample of British older people. European Journal of Oral Sciences 2006, 114(5), 391-395.
• Osman SA, McCabe JF, Walls AW. Film thickness and rheological properties of luting agents for crown cementation. European Journal of Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry 2006, 14(1), 23-7.
• Mason J, Pearce MS, Walls AWG, Parker L, Steele JG. How do factors at different stages of the lifecourse contribute to oral-health-related quality of life in middle age for men and women?. Journal of Dental Research 2006, 85(3), 257-261.
• Bradbury J, Thomason JM, Jepson NJA, Walls AWG, Allen PF, Moynihan PJ. Nutrition counseling increases fruit and vegetable intake in the edentulous. Journal of Dental Research 2006, 85(5), 463-468.
• Imazato S, Ikebe K, Nokubi T, Ebisu S, Walls AWG. Prevalence of root caries in a selected population of older adults in Japan. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation 2006, 33(2), 137-143.
• Whitworth JM, Myers PM, Smith J, Walls AWG, McCabe JF. Endodontic complications after plastic restorations in general practice. International Endodontic Journal 2005,38 6 409-416.
• Kuramoto A, Imazato S, Walls AWG, Ebisu S. Inhibition of root caries progression by an antibacterial adhesive. Journal of Dental Research 2005,84 1 89-93.
• Pearce MS, Steele JG, Mason J, Walls AWG, Parker L. Do circumstances in early life contribute to tooth retention in middle age?. Journal of Dental Research 2004, 83(7), 562-566.
• Whitworth JM, McCabe JF, Walls AWG. Pulp complications following plastic dental restorations in practice. Journal of Dentistry 2004, (submitted).
• Whitworth JM, McCabe JF, Walls AWG. Pulp protection by traditional lining or conditioning and sealing in UK general dental practice. Journal of Dentistry 2004, (submitted).
• Whitworth JM, McCabe JF, Walls AWG. Reasons for restoration placement in a stable general dental practice population. Operative Dentistry 2004. In Press.
• Mojon P, Thomason JM, Walls AW. The impact of falling rates of edentulism. International Journal of Prosthodontics 2004,17 4 434-440.
• Walls AWG, Steele JG. The relationship between oral health and nutrition in older people. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 2004,125 12 853-857.
• Walls GM, Beddis AJ, Mather E, McCabe JF, Walls AWG. [abstract] Clinical performance of a self-etching primer after 12 months in primary care. Journal of Dental Research 2003, 82(special issue B), B126 abstract no. 0910.
• Moynihan PJ, Bradbury J, Thomason M, Walls A, Jepson N. [abstract] Consumption of fruit and vegetables and perceived chewing ability. Journal of Dental Research 2003, 82(special issue B), B267 abstract no. 2050.
• Dhaliwal JS, Steele JG, Sheiham A, Walls AWG, Marcenes W, Moynihan P. [abstract] Does tooth loss affect fruit and vegetable intake in older people?. Journal of Dental Research 2003, 82(special issue B), B267.
• Walls AWG. Adhesively retained porcelain restorations for managing worn teeth, 12-year follow-up. Journal of Dental Research 2003, 82(special issue B), B118 abstract no. 0847.
• Smith JA, Whitworth J, Myers P, Walls A, Mccabe J. New and replacement fillings in UK general practice: Who gets them and why?. Journal of Dental Research 2003, 82(special issue B), B32 abstract no. 0158.
• Walls A, Beddis A, Mather E, Walls G, McCabe J. Short-term sensitivity with wet and dry bonding agents, a clinical trial. In: Journal of Dental Research: 1st Annual Meeting of the International Association for Dental Research. 2003, Cardiff, UK: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Moynihan P, Ettinger R, Young WG, Lussi A, Nunn J, Walls AWG. Dietary and nutritional aspects of tooth wear. Journal of Dental Research 2002, 81(special issue 1), A218 abstract no. 1639.
• Walls AWG, Wilmot A. How well can people count their own teeth?. Journal of Dental Research 2002, 81(special issue 1), A434 abstract no. 3530.
• Imazato S, Walls AWG, Kuramoto A, Ebisu S. Penetration of an antibacterial dentine-bonding system into demineralized human root dentine in vitro. European Journal of Oral Sciences 2002, 110(2), 168-174.
• Sheiham A, Steele JG, Marcenes W, Finch S, Walls AWG. The relationship between oral health status and Body Mass Index among older people: A national survey of older people in Great Britain. British Dental Journal 2002. ,192 12 703-706.
• Walls AWG, Steele JG, Shieham A, Marcenes W. Dental status and general health in a population of older adults from the UK. Journal of Dental Research 2000, 79(1), 253-253.
• Walls AWG, Steele JG, Sheiham A, Marcenes W, Moynihan PJ. Oral health and nutrition in older people. Journal of Public Health Dentistry 2000, 60(4), 304-307.
• Steele JG, Walls AWG. Using partial recording to assess tooth wear in older adults. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology 2000, 28(1), 18-25.
• Steele JG, Sheiham A, Marcenes W, Fay N, Walls AW. Clinical and behavioural risk indicators for root caries in older people. Gerodontology 2001, 18(2), 95-101.
• Walls AWG, Steele JG. Geriatric oral health issues in the United Kingdom. International Dental Journal 2001, 51(3), 183-187.
• Berg R, Berkey DB, Carter KD, Chalmers JM, Ettinger RL, Fabiano JA, Ikebe K, Luhanga CM, Nisizaki S, Nitschke I, Pifarre CSI, Shah N, Shay K, Shinsho BF, Walls AWG, Luan WM, First Int Conf Rural Aging Oral Hl. International effort on geriatric oral health. National Medical Journal of India 2001, 14(2), 105-105.
• Barker D, Walls AWG, Meechan JG. Ridge augmentation using mandibular tori. British Dental Journal 2001, 190(9), 474-476.
• Sheiham A, Steele JG, Marcenes W, Lowe C, Finch S, Bates CJ, Prentice A, Walls AWG. The relationship among dental status, nutrient intake, and nutritional status in older people. Journal of Dental Research 2001, 80(2), 408-413.