Newcastle University

Background

I received my Dental degree from the University of Leeds in 1984 and a PhD in Microbiology from Edinburgh University in 1990.
I was appointed to a Lectureship in Restorative Dentistry, with special interest in Endodontics in 1991, and after clinical training in Restorative Dentistry, received a personal promotion to Senior Lecturer/hon Consultant in 2000.
As a clinical teacher, it is important that I maintain respect as an active specialist clinician, and that my research is translational, informing action in every day practice.

Roles and Responsibilities

School of Dental Sciences                                                                                                                   Director of Student Progress                                                                                                                      Lead Senior Tutor                                                                                                                                      School Engagement Lead                                                                                                                        Clinical Teaching Lead – Endodontology                                                                                                 Course Director, Undergraduate Endodontology                                                                                    Module Leader, Endodontology, MSc in Restorative Dentistry                                                                   School webmaster                                                                                                                                   

Board of Studies Strategy Group                                                                                                             School IT Committee

NHS                                                                                                                                                                                                         Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry, with special interest in Endodontics                                 Chair, Consultants in Restorative Dentistry Group

 External                                                                                                                                            European Society of Endodontology Executive Board                                                                              Chair, European Society of Endodontology Education and Scholarship Committee

Editorial Board, International Endodontic Journal                                                                                  Editorial Board, ENDO: Endodontic Practice Today                                                                                         Editorial Board, Endodontic Practice

Past President, British Endodontic Society

Qualifications

BChD (hons) Leeds 1984
PhD (microbiology) Edinburgh 1990
FDS RCSEd 1991
Registered Specialist in Endodontics, June 2000
FDS (Rest) RCS, Nov 2000

Honours and Awards

Dental Defence Union National Teacher of the year 2005                                                                           Dental Defence Union Newcastle Dental Teacher of the year 2003, 2005

Research Interests

1. Understanding and improving local anaesthesia in clinical dental practice.

2. Barriers to quality in dental practice.

3. Health economics in dental decision-making.

4. Biomaterials testing.

5. Interactions between dental materials and the oral environment

Current Work

Dentists can still experience difficulties in getting teeth numb. Our group has a strong track record in clinical research, answering practical questions on drugs, doses and methods of delivery to help dentists and their patients in every day practice to enjoy more comfortable and effective local anaesthesia.

The needs of an aging dentate population place heavy demands on healthcare systems, and there is a need to steward finite resources responsibly. Central to this is a need to understand what influences the practising behavour of clinicians, and to properly evaluate the direct and indirect costs of interventions over their expected lifespan. Our group has an established track record of quantitative and qualitative research in primary dental care and is collaborating with the Newcastle Institute of Health Society to develop an understanding of the value placed on dental interventions by the public and the influence of this on treatment decision-making.

Dental materials often reach the market place before they have been fully evaluated. Routine laboratory testing has often disregarded the implications of the oral environment in which materials will serve, and we are building on existing expertise to understand the implications of factors such as fluid contamination and biofouling on the behaviour of restorative dental materials.

Future Research

1. Further development of an international colaborative team to evaluate established and novel anaesthetic drugs, and methods of delivery to help dentists and their patients in every day clinical practice.

2. Establishment of a better understanding of the economic issues in the delivery of dental care and how this influences short and long-term treatment planning decisions. It is anticipated that such work will inform dentist and patient decision making in every day clinical practice.

3. Continued development of models to simulate the impact of the oral environment on restorative materials. This work will better inform clinicians faced with decisions in every day clinical practice.

Postgraduate Supervision

PhD (4) and Masters (3) level projects in local anaesthesia, health economics and biomaterials research.

Esteem Indicators

Deputy Editor-in-Chief, International Endodontic Journal (10 years until 2010)
Editorial Board Member, International Endodontic Journal
Editor, European Society of Endodontology
Editorial Board, ENDO: Endodontic Practice Today
Editorial Board, Endodontic Practice
Editorial Board and Endodontic Editor, Quintessentials of Dental Practice, Quintessence Publishing

Past-President, British Endodontic Society

Chair, European Society of Endodontology Education & Scholarship Committee

Invited keynote lectures include:
European Society of Endodontology (2009)
American Association of Endodontists (2008, 2009)
Academy of Operative Dentistry (Chicago Mid-Winter 2009)
Netherlands Society of Endodontology (2008)
Flemish Dental Association (2008)
European Society of Microscope Dentistry (2008)

Undergraduate Teaching

Course leader: Endodontology, stage 3 BDS
Course leader: Clinical endodontics, stages 3-5 BDS

Clinical teacher: Restorative Dentistry, stages 3-5 BDS (Adult Restorative Care)

Contributuions to:
Key clinical skills, stage 2 BDS
Dentistry, the Dentist and Society, stage 3 BDS
Crown and bridge course, stage 4 BDS
Clinical Research update course, stage 5 BDS

Postgraduate Teaching

Course leader: Endodontology, MSc in Restorative Dentistry
Course leader: Clinical endodontics, MSc in Restorative Dentistry

Course leader: Higher skills training programme in Endodontology, CPD
Module leader: Introductory endodontics, MANDEC, Manchester
Module leader: Advanced endodontics, MANDEC, Manchester.
Contributions to:
MJDF training programme, Newcastle
MFGDP training programme, Newcastle

• Waterhouse PJ, Nunn JH, Whitworth JM. Prostaglandin E2 and treatment outcome in primary molar pulp therapy. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2002, 12(2), 116-123.
• McCabe JF, Whitworth JM, Wain RK, Smith JA. Sensitivity after cavity lining or etching and sealing in practice. Journal of Dental Research 2002, 81(special issue 1), A254 abstract no. 1960.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Whitworth JM. Methods of filling root canals: principles and practices. Endodontic Topics 2006,12 1 2-24.
• 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.
• Ellis JS, Hobson RS, Waterhouse PJ, Meechan JG, Hogg SD, Whitworth JM, Thomason JM. Tutor perceptions of the use of a reflective portfolio within a pastoral tutor system to facilitate undergraduate personal development planning. European Journal of Dental Education 2006,10 4 217-225.
• Vakalis SV, Whitworth JM, Ellwood RP, Preshaw PM. A pilot study of treatment of periodontal-endodontic lesions. International Dental Journal 2005, 55(5), 313-318.
• Rahman S, Whitworth JM, Dummer PMH. Carisolv™: An alternative to NaOCl in immature root canals?. International Endodontic Journal 2005,38 7 448-455.
• 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.
• Whitworth JM, Ramlee RAM, Meechan JG. Pressures generated in vitro during Stabident intraosseous injections. International Endodontic Journal 2005, 38(5), 291-296.
• Whitworth JM, ed. Managing Endodontic Failure in Practice. London, UK: Quintessence Publishing Co. Ltd, 2004.
• 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. Reasons for restoration placement in a stable general dental practice population. Operative Dentistry 2004. In Press.
• Vakalis S, Preshaw PM, Whitworth JM. Evaluation of a standardized treatment protocol for periodontal-endodontic lesions. Journal of Dental Research 2003, 82(special issue B), B227 abstract no. 1729.
• 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.
• Whitworth JM. Rational Root Canal Treatment in Practice. London: Quintessence, 2002.
• Waterhouse PJ, Whitworth JM, Nunn JH. Prostaglandin E-2 and treatment outcome in primary molar pulp therapy. In: British Society for Dental Research : Annual Scientific Session. 2000, University of Lancaster, UK: Sage Publications.
• 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.
• Whitworth J. Dimensions of stabident intraosseous perforators and needles. Journal of Endodontics 2001, 27(9), 581-583.