Applied Oral Health Research
Our multidisciplinary research has a wide range. It includes multi-centre clinical trials. We design and conduct national epidemiological surveys of oral health.
Underpinning evolving health policy
We contribute to the evidence base that underpins evolving health policy. We aim to improve the health and wellbeing of patients and populations.
Our research in oral care pathways and epidemiology has direct relevance to services. It informs policy at the local, national and international level.
We address priorities identified by epidemiology to redefine oral health care strategies.
Lead: Dr Helen Rogers
Research areas
Researchers in this group have multidisciplinary expertise to conduct mixed methods research.
We have a variety of research areas:
Care Pathways and Health Economics
Dental services and patients needs are growing in complexity. Understanding and developing better and simpler care pathways is ever more important.
Health economics is important in determining cost-effective treatments and services. It helps us identify dental inequalities.
We have led the way in this area through our involvement in reforms to NHS dental services in England.
Our major studies, include:
- working with our local ageing community, co-designing better dental care for people living and dying in care homes
- understanding the impact of oral health risk assessment on patient pathways in primary care research
- economic analyses of decisions to fill children's teeth
- priority setting for health service resource allocation
- econometric analysis of oral health inequalities
- understanding public preferences for dental health and treatments, investigating techniques such as utility measures and willingness to pay
Lead: Prof Chris Vernazza
Multi-centre Clinical Trials
Newcastle has led and participated in major dental clinical trials across a broad range of disciplines. We're supported by:
- national funders, such as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
- industrial collaborators.
Our multicentre trials include:
- decisions to fill children's teeth
- investigating new restorative technologies with industrial collaborators
- investigating the relationship between e-cigarettes and periodontal health
Lead: Dr Richard Holliday
Periodontal Diseases
Our research in periodontal diseases builds upon the science. Our clinical research and interventions lead to improved patient outcomes.
This allows us to aid patient care through novel treatments, better diagnostics. We provide more effective clinical care pathways.
Current research involves:
- the influence of e-cigarettes on periodontal health
- the role of periodontal screening in the management of diabetes
- clinical studies to identify novel salivary biomarkers of periodontitis
- biological factors leading to the formation dental plaque
Principal investigators: and
Pain
Research in this theme aims to translate ideas from science and clinical research. We're keen to develop new approaches to treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs).
Current laboratory aspects of this research include:
- establishing in-vitro models to study the involvement of ion channels in the neurophysiology of dental pain
- investigating the relationship of neuronal hyperexcitability with pain symptoms
- identifying drug targets associated with the transition from acute to chronic ‘phantom’ pain
We are trying to establish factors influencing patient engagement with pain management. The aim is to reduce pain progression.
Our NIHR-funded The DEEP Study encapsulates our work. The clinical study looks at persistent oral pain care pathways and management.
Principal investigators: and
Extensive collaborative research
We're affiliated with the Faculty of Medical Sciences Research Institutes, particularly the Population Health Sciences Institute and Translational and Clinical Research Institute. We conduct extensive collaborative research with them.
We collaborate widely with researchers across Newcastle University, nationally and internationally.
We have several joint projects with industry. We work with small to medium enterprises and multi-national oral health care companies. You can read about these in the Partnerships section.