Newcastle University

Roles and Responsibilities

Organisation of the Undergradute teaching course in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Honorary Consultant in Oral Surgery for the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust

Chairman of Dental Directorate Drug and Therapeutics committee

Qualifications

BSc
BDS
PhD
FDSRCS(Edinburgh)
FDSRCPS(Glasgow) 

FDSRCS (England) 

Previous Positions

House Officer Glasgow Dental Hospital
Senior House Officer Newcastle Teaching Hospitals
Demonstrator in Oral Anatomy University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Lecturer in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Memberships

British Dental Association
British Association of Oral and MAxillofacial Surgeons
International Association for Dental Research
American Dental Society of Anesthesiology
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
International Standards Organisation
British Standards Institution
North of England Odontological Society
Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland

Honours and Awards

King James IV Professorship, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Distinguished Scientist Award IADR
Johnson and Johnson Prize of the British Society for Dental Research
Paul Toller Prize of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
T.C.White Prize of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

Blue Sky Award for Dental and Oral Health, Medical Futures Innovations. 

 Overall Winner for Dental and Oral Health, Medical Futures Innovations.

Research Interests

My main research interest is in pain control for dentistry particularly local anaesthesia. This interest is both laboratory and clinically based. The laboratory work on the performance of syringes and cartridges has informed the production of British and International Standards and the clinical findings related to efficacy and safety have influenced the teaching of local anaesthesia.

Other Expertise

I have expertise in surgical dentistry.

Current Work

At present I lead a research team that is looking at methods of overcoming failure of local anaesthesia in dentistry. This has involved investigating different local anaesthetic solutions and methods of delivery. One of our recent findings, which is fundamental to the method of injection, is that the rate of delivery influences the success of mandibular regional block anaesthesia. We have also provided evidence that the choice of solution is critical for the success of some techniques such as infiltration anaesthesia in the mandible. We are currently investigating the mechanism of action of infiltration anaesthesia in the mandible.

In our laboratory studies we are looking at needle perfromence and developing a test to measure needle deflection.

Future Research

The immediate aim of our team is to investigate the method by which infiltration anaesthesia in the mandible achieves its success.

Research Roles

Lead researcher in local anaesthesia studies in Newcastle.
International collaboration with the University of Toronto, Canada, the University of Campinas, Brazil and Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey

Postgraduate Supervision

At present I am supervising an MSc and an MRes student.

Esteem Indicators

Blue Sky Award for Dental and Oral Health, Medical Futures Innovations

Overall Winner Dental and Oral Health, Medical Futures Innovations

Distinguished Scientist Award from IADR 2006.
King James IV Professorship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 2007.
Invited speaker at International Conferences:
Keynote address IADR annual session Baltimore March 2005
Keynote address FDI annual conference Montreal August 2005
Keynote address IADR annual session New Orleans March 2007
Keynote addresses (2) annual session Irish Dental Association
April 2007
Keynote address AADR annual session Dallas 2008
Keynote address EAPD annual session Dubrovnik May 2008
Keynote address ESE conference Edinburgh September 2009
Keynote address IFDAS triennial session Queensland October 2009
Editorial Board of British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Editorial Board of InternationalJournal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Editorial Board of Oral Surgery
Editorial Board Quintessentials Series of books, Quintessence Publishing.

Funding

Industrial from 3M, Dentsply, Septodont and Astra Pharmaceutical

Industrial Relevance

Testing of local anaesthetic equipment
I am convenor of the dental injection systems working group of the International Standards Organisation
My research has led to my acting as a consultant for a number of companies involved in dental local anaesthesia

Undergraduate Teaching

Clinical anatomy lectures to Stage 1 and 2 BDS
Human and Oral Diseases lectures to Stage 3 and 4 BDS
Local anaesthetic lecture and practical course to Stage 3 BDS
Oral and Maxillofacial surgery lectures to Stage 4 BDS
Clinical teaching for Stage 4 and 5 BDS

Postgraduate Teaching

Clinical and theoretical teaching to junior dental staff.

• Kanaa MD, Whitworth JM, Meechan JG. A comparison of the efficacy of 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine and 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine in achieving pulpal anesthesia in maxillary teeth with irreversible pulpitis. Journal of Endodontics 2012, 38(3), 279-282.
• Kanaa MD, Whitworth JM, Meechan JG. A prospective randomized trial of different supplementary local anesthetic techniques after failure of inferior alveolar nerve block in patients with irreversible pulpitis in mandibular teeth. Journal of Endodontics 2012, 38(4), 421-425.
• Meechan JG, Jaber AA, Corbett IP, Whitworth JM. Buccal versus lingual articaine infiltration for mandibular tooth anaesthesia: a randomized controlled trial. International Endodontic Journal 2011, 44(7), 676-681.
• Durham J, Steele JG, Wassell RW, Exley C, Meechan JG, Allen PF, Moufti AM. Creating a patient based condition-specific outcome measure for Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs): Oral Health Impact Profile for TMDs (OHIP-TMDs). Journal of Oral Rehabilitation 2011, 38(12), 871-883.
• Moufti MA, Wassell RW, Meechan JG, Allen PF, John MT, Steele JG. The Oral Health Impact Profile: ranking of items for temporomandibular disorders. European Journal of Oral Sciences 2011, 119(2), 169-174.
• Hetherington S, Corbett IP, Chapple JR, Meechan JG. Anaesthetic choice for palatal canine exposure. Oral Surgery 2010, 3(1-2), 11-15.
• Greenwood M, Jay RH, Meechan JG. General medicine and surgery for dental practitioners. Part 1-the older patient. British Dental Journal 2010, 208(8), 339-342.
• Greenwood M, Meechan JG. General medicine and surgery for dental practitioners. Part 2-metabolic disorders. British Dental Journal 2010, 208(9), 389-392.
• Greenwood M, Meechan JG, Macleod RI, Rudralingam M. General medicine and surgery for dental practitioners. Part 4-skin disorders part B. British Dental Journal 2010, 208(11), 515-518.
• Meechan J. Infiltration Anesthesia in the Mandible. Dental Clinics of North America 2010, 54(4), 621-629.
• Kanaa MD, Whitworth JM, Corbett IP, Meechan JG. Articaine buccal infiltration enhances the effectiveness of lidocaine inferior alveolar nerve block. International Endodontic Journal 2009, 42(3), 238-246.
• Meechan JG. Aspirations and solutions - a 20 year journey through dental local anaesthetics. The Surgeon 2009, 7(6), 358-361.
• Brunetto PC, Ranali J, Ambrasano GMB, Soares PC, Groppo FC, Meechan JG, Volpato MC. Anaesthetic efficacy of three volumes of lidocaine with epinephrine in maxillary infiltration anaesthesia. Anesthesia Progress 2008, 55(2), 29-34.
• Corbett IP, Kanaa MD, Whitworth JM, Meechan JG. Articaine Infiltration for Anesthesia of Mandibular First Molars. Journal of Endodontics 2008, 34(5), 514-518.
• Meechan JG. Intraoral topical anesthesia. Periodontology 2000 2008, 46(1), 56-79.
• Meechan JG. Local anaesthesia. Oral Surgery 2008. , 1(1), 3-10.
• Nohl F, Cole B, Hobson R, Jepson N, Meechan J. The Management of Hypodontia: Present and Future. Dental Update 2008, 35, 79-88.
• Tofoli GR, Ramacciato JC, Volpato MC, Meechan JG, Ranali J, Groppo FC. Anesthetic efficacy and pain induced by dental anesthesia: the influence of gender and menstrual cycle. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology and Endodontology 2007, 103(2), e34-e38.
• Whitworth JM, Kanna MD, Corbett IP, Meechan JG. Influence of Injection Speed on the Effectiveness of Incisive/Mental Nerve Block: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-blind Study in Adult Volunteers. Journal of Endodontics 2007, 33(10), 1149-1154.
• Meechan JG, Ramacciato JC, McCabe JF. A comparison of the aspirating abilities of re-usable and partly disposable dental cartridge syringes in vitro. Journal of Dentistry 2006, 34(1), 41-47.
• Kanaa MD, Whitworth JM, Corbett IP, Meechan JG. Articaine and lidocaine mandibular buccal infiltration anesthesia: A prospective randomized double-blind cross-over study. Journal of Endodontics 2006, 32(4), 296-298.
• Meechan JG, Kanaa MD, Corbett IP, Steen IN, Whitworth JM. Pulpal anaesthesia for mandibular permanent first molar teeth: A double-blind randomized cross-over trial comparing buccal and buccal plus lingual infiltration injections in volunteers. International Endodontic Journal 2006, 39(10), 764-769.
• Kanaa MD, Meechan JG, Corbett IP, Whitworth JM. Speed of Injection Influences Efficacy of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Blocks: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial in Volunteers. Journal of Endodontics 2006, 32(10), 919-923.
• Corbett IP, Ramacciato JC, Groppo FC, Meechan JG. A survey of local anaesthetic use among general dental practitioners in the UK attending postgraduate courses on pain control. British Dental Journal 2005, 199(12), 784-787.
• Groppo FC, Castro FM, Pacheco ABND, Motta RHL, De Mattos Filho TR, Ramacciato JC, Florio FM, Meechan JG. Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus and oral streptococci strains from high-risk endocarditis patients. General Dentistry 2005, 53(6), 410-413.
• Meechan JG. Differences between men and women regarding attitudes toward dental local anesthesia among junior students at a United Kingdom dental school. Anesthesia Progress 2005,52 2 50-55.
• Meechan JG, Howlett PC, Smith BD. Factors influencing the discomfort of intraoral needle penetration. Anesthesia Progress 2005,52 3 91-94.
• Greenwood M, Meechan JG. A Clinical Guide to General Medicine and Surgery for Dental Practitioners. London, UK: BDJ Books, 2003.
• Meechan JG, Greenwood M. General medicine and surgery for dental practitioners part 9: Haematology and patients with bleeding problems. British Dental Journal 2003. ,195 6 305-310.
• Hopkinson LR, Carter NE, Hobson RS, Meechan JG. Gold chains to aid eruption of ectopic permanent teeth. In: Journal of Dental Research: 1st Annual Meeting of the International Association for Dental Research. 2003, Cardiff, UK: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Jacobs S, Haas DA, Meechan JG, May S. Injection pain: Comparison of three mandibular block techniques and modulation by nitrous oxide:oxygen. Journal of the American Dental Association 2003,134 7 869-876.
• Carter NE, Gilgrass T, Hobson RS, Jepson NJE, Meechan JG, Nohl FS, Nunn JH. Interdisciplinary management of hypodontia: orthodontic management. British Dental Journal 2003, 194(7), 361-366.
• Meechan JG. Re: Prolonged paraesthesia following inferior alveolar nerve block using articaine. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2003, 41(3), 201.
• Nunn JH, Carter NE, Gillgrass TJ, Hobson RS, Jepson NJ, Meechan JG, Nohl FS. The interdisciplinary management of hypodontia: Background and role of paediatric dentistry. British Dental Journal 2003. ,194 5 245-251.
• Jepson NJ, Nohl FS, Carter NE, Gillgrass TJ, Meechan JG, Hobson RS, Nunn JH. The interdisciplinary management of hypodontia: Restorative dentistry. British Dental Journal 2003. ,194 6 299-304.
• Cole BOI, Shaw AJ, Hobson RS, Nunn JH, Welbury RR, Meechan JG, Jepson NJA. The role of magnets in the management of unerupted teeth in children and adolescents. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2003,13 3 204-207.
• Meechan JG. [abstract] Effect of teaching on dental students' attitudes toward local anesthesia. Journal of Dental Research 2003, 82(special issue B), B169.
• Meechan JG, Day PF. A comparison of intra-oral injection discomfort produced by plain and epinephrine-containing lidocaine local anesthetic solutions: a randomised, double-blind, split mouth, volunteer investigation. Anesthesia Progress 2002, 49, 44-48.
• Jacobs S, Haasi DA, Meechan JG, May S. Comparison of injection pain among the three mandibular block techniques. Journal of Dental Research 2002, 81(special issue 1), A49 abstract no. 0168.
• Ledvinka JIM, Meechan JG. Discomfort of infiltration and intraligamentary injections for mandibular central incisors. Journal of Dental Research 2002, 81(special issue 1), A188 abstract no. 1375.
• Meechan JG. Effective topical anesthetic agents and techniques. Dental Clinics of North America 2002, 46(4), 759-766.
• Meechan JG, Parry G, Rattray DT, Thomason JM. Effects of dental local anaesthetics in cardiac transplant recipients. British Dental Journal 2002, 192(3), 161-163.
• Meechan JG. Junior dental students attitudes towards administering and receiving local anesthesia. Journal of Dental Research 2002, 81(special issue 1), A49 abstract no. 0170.
• Meechan JG. Polypharmacy and dentistry: 1. Introduction and interactions with local anaesthetics and sedative drugs. Dental Update 2002, 29(8), 325-330.
• Meechan JG. Polypharmacy and dentistry: 2. Interactions with analgesics and antimicrobials. Dental Update 2002, 29(8), 382-388.
• Meechan JG, Ledvinka JIM. Pulpal anaesthesia for mandibular central incisor teeth: a comparison of infiltration and intraligamentary injections. International Endodontic Journal 2002, 35(7), 629-634.
• Meechan JG. Supplementary routes to local anaesthesia. International Endodontic Journal 2002. ,35 11 885-896.
• Ledvinka JIM, Meechan JG. Comparison of methods of anaesthetising mandibular permanent central incisors. In: British Society for Dental Research & Irish Division: Joint Meeting. 2001, Belfast, UK: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Meechan JG, Day PF, McMillan AS. Comparison of solutions and techniques in palatal anaesthesia. In: British Society for Dental Research & Irish Division: Joint Meeting. 2001, Belfast, UK: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Barker D, Walls AWG, Meechan JG. Ridge augmentation using mandibular tori. British Dental Journal 2001, 190(9), 474-476.
• Meechan JG, Cole B, Welbury RR. The influence of two different dental local anaesthetic solutions on the haemodynamic responses of children undergoing restorative dentistry: A randomised, single-blind, split-mouth study. British Dental Journal 2001, 190(9), 502-504.
• Meechan JG. The use of EMLA for an intraoral soft-tissue biopsy in a needle phobic: a case report. Anesthesia Progress 2001, 48(1), 32-34.
• Day PF, Meechan JG. A comparison of injection discomfort between different lidocaine anaesthetic solutions. In: British Society for Dental Research: Annual Scientific Session. 2000, University of Lancaster, UK: Sage Publications.
• Meechan JG, Isacsson G. A comparison of ropivacaine and lidocaine-epinephrine for intraligamentary anaesthesia. Journal of Dental Research 2000, 79(5), 1207.
• Meechan JG. Anaethesia: Inhalation sedation compared with general anaesthesia for orthodontic extractions. British Dental Journal 2000, 188(6), 318-318.
• Meechan JG. Happy birthday lignocaine. Dentistry 2000, September, 16-18.
• Meechan JG. Intra-oral topical anaesthetics: A review. Journal of Dentistry 2000, 28(1), 3-14.
• Meechan JG. Intraligamentary anaesthesia. Independent Dentistry 2000, 5, 77-79.
• Meechan JG, Day PF, McMillan AS. Local anaesthesia in the palate: a comparison of techniques and solutions. Anesthesia Progress 2000, 47(4), 139-142.
• Meechan JG. Orthodontic extractions - an investigation of patient management methods. British Dental Journal 2000, 188(11), 610-610.
• Meechan JG. The effect of mandibular third molar presence and position on the risk of an angle fracture. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2000, 58(4), 394-398.
• McMillan AS, Walshaw D, Meechan JG. The efficacy of Emla® and 5% lignocaine gel for anaesthesia of human gingival mucosa. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2000, 38(1), 58-61.
• Meechan JG, Thomason JM. A comparison of 2 topical anesthetics on the discomfort of intraligamentary injections: A double-blind, split-mouth volunteer clinical trial. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontics 1999, 87(3), 362-365.
• Waterhouse PJ, Hobson RS, Meechan JG. Autotransplantation as a treatment option after loss of a maxillary permanent incisor tooth. A case report. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 1999, 9(1), 43-47.
• Meechan JG. Drug abuse and dentistry. Dent Update 1999, 26, 182-190.
• J. G. Meechan. How to overcome failed local anaesthesia. British Dental Journal 1999, 186, 15-20.
• Meechan, JG. How to overcome failed local anaesthesia. Br Dent J 1999, 186, 15-20.
• Meechan J.G. How to avoid local anaesthetic toxicity. Br Dent J 1998, 184, 334-335.
• J. G. Meechan, A. J. Gowans and R. R. Welbury. The use of patient-controlled transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation (TENS) to decrease the discomfort of regional anaesthesia in dentistry: Randomised controlled clinical trial. Journal of Dentistry 1998, 26, 417-420.
• J. G. Meechan and R. A. Winter. A comparison topical anaesthesia and electronic nerve stimulation for reducing the pain of intra-oral injections. British Dental Journal 1996, 181, 333-335.
• Meechan J.G. Epinephrine, magnesium and dental local anaesthetics. Anesth. Prog. 1996, 43, 99-102.
• DONALDSON D, MEECHAN JG. THE HAZARDS OF CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO NITROUS-OXIDE - AN UPDATE. BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL 1995, 178(3), 95-100.
• MEECHAN JG, ROOD JP. ASPIRATION IN DENTAL LOCAL-ANESTHESIA. BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL 1992, 172(2), 40-40.
• MEECHAN JG, MCCABE JF. EFFECT OF DIFFERENT STORAGE METHODS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF DENTAL LOCAL-ANESTHETIC CARTRIDGES. JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY 1992, 20(1), 38-43.
• MEECHAN JG. INTRALIGAMENTARY ANESTHESIA. JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY 1992, 20(6), 325-332.
• MEECHAN JG, THOMSON CW, BLAIR GS, RAWLINS MD. THE BIOCHEMICAL AND HEMODYNAMIC-EFFECTS OF ADRENALINE IN LIGNOCAINE LOCAL-ANESTHETIC SOLUTIONS IN PATIENTS HAVING 3RD MOLAR SURGERY UNDER GENERAL-ANESTHESIA. BRITISH JOURNAL OF ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY 1991, 29(4), 263-268.
• MEECHAN JG, BLAIR GS. BILATERAL LOWER LIP MUCOCELES - CAUSE OF FUNCTIONAL MALOCCLUSION IN A 3-YEAR-OLD CHILD. JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY FOR CHILDREN 1986, 53(5), 386-387.
• MEECHAN JG, CZACHUR KJ, BLAIR GS, MCCABE JF. THE ABILITY OF TRADITIONAL AND SELF-ASPIRATING DENTAL LOCAL-ANESTHETIC CARTRIDGES TO ASPIRATE BLOOD UNDER SIMULATED ARTERIAL CONDITIONS. BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL 1986, 160(7), 239-241.
• ROGERS SN, MEECHAN JG, MCGREGOR IDM, HOBSON RS. THE EFFECT OF SMOKING ON IMMEDIATE POST-EXTRACTION SOCKET FILLING WITH BLOOD AND ON THE INCIDENCE OF DRY SOCKET. In: JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH. 1986.
• MEECHAN JG. ORO-NASAL FISTULA OCCURRING AFTER A SIMPLE DENTAL EXTRACTION. BRITISH JOURNAL OF ORAL SURGERY 1983, 21(3), 229-232.
• MEECHAN JG. SALIVARY ALBUMIN CONCENTRATION AND PERIODONTAL-DISEASE. In: JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH. 1983.
• MEECHAN JG. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRIMARY PALATE IN THE RAT. In: JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH. 1982.