Global Challenges Academy

Staff Profile

Dr Richard Holmes

Senior Lecturer / Hon. Consultant in Dental Public Health

Background

Introduction

I am a dentist, Specialist and Senior Lecturer in Dental Public Health. I hold an Hon. Public Health Consultant Clinical Academic contract with the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (formerly Public Health England). My research interests include health services research, priority setting, resource allocation and health policy in relation to dentistry.

After several years working in primary dental care I began as a NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Dental Public Health at Newcastle University before being awarded a 3-year national NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship (2009-2012) to research priority setting and the use of health economic tools in NHS dental commissioning.

After gaining my PhD at Newcastle University I became an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Dental Public Health and completed my academic Specialty Registrar training. I passed the Intercollegiate Specialty Fellowship Examination (ISFE) in April 2014 and began in my current role as a Senior Lecturer / Hon. Consultant in Dental Public Health in November 2014.

Qualifications

  • BMedSci (Hons)  Bachelor of Medical Science, First Class (Newcastle University, 2001)
  • BDS (Hons)         Bachelor of Dental Surgery (Honours) (Newcastle University, 2002)                             
  • MFDS RCS         Membership Examination, Faculty of Dental Surgery (2005)
  • MPH                    Master of Public Health (Manchester University, 2009)
  • PhD                    Doctor of Philosophy (Newcastle University, 2012)
  • FDS (DPH)      ISFE in Dental Public Health, Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow (2016)
  • SFHEA         Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2021)

Previous Positions

  • General Dental Practitioner / Community Dental Officer (2002-2005)
  • Clinical Fellow, Newcastle University (2005-2006)
  • NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow / Specialist Registrar in Dental Public Health (2006-2009)
  • NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow, Newcastle University (2009-2012)
  • NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer / Specialty Registrar in Dental Public Health (2012-2014)

Memberships

  • International Association for Dental Research (IADR)
  • British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD)
  • The North of England Odontological Society (NEOS) (Past-President 2013-14)
  • Fellow (Dental), The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG)

Regional Role

  • Member, Dental Workforce Strategy Group (Health Education England - North East)

National Roles

  • NIHR In-Practice Fellowship Scheme - Selection Committee (2018 - present)
  • Former role: British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry - BASCD Council, Research Lead (2016-2019)

Past & Present Funding

  • Personal Award: NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship (2009-2012)
  • Health Education England
  • Australian Bicentennial Fellowship 2018 - Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, King's College London

Teaching

I am the lead academic at Newcastle University for Dental Public Health.

Other School, teaching and University roles include:

  • Co-Chair, Board of Studies (BDS & BSc)     
  • Degree Programme Director, BSc (Hons) in Dental Therapy
  • Senior Tutor
  • Personal Tutor (BDS)
  • Lead for Dental Public Health/Evidence-Based Practice assessments (BDS & BSc degree programmes)
  • Member, Stage 5 BDS Board of Examiners Sub-committee
  • Member, Stage 3 Part II BDS Board of Examiners Sub-committee
  • Interviewer, BDS and BSc Admissions Panels
  • Member, Faculty of Medical Sciences Undergraduate Admissions and Student Recruitment Sub-Group
  • Co-lead for Newcastle University-Indiana University (USA) initiative in dental education (2016-present)
  • FMS (Faculty of Medical Sciences) Representative, Learning & Teaching Reviews / Programme Approval Panels
  • Former Director of Undergraduate Admissions (BDS and BSc), School of Dental Sciences (2018-2022)

Undergraduate Teaching

1. BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery)

  • Academic teaching input into Stages 1, 2, 3 & 5 BDS
  • Course Lead, 'Dentistry, the Dentist & Public Health' Stages 2, 3 & 5 BDS

2. BSc (Hons) in Dental Therapy

  • Course Lead, 'Evidence-Based Practice and Public Health', Stage 1 BSc
  • Course Lead, 'Critical Appraisal & Academic Writing', Stage 2, BSc

Postgraduate Teaching & Examining

- Research & Epidemiology study days (Foundation Dentists) commissioned by Health Education England North East

-MRes (Oral & Dental Sciences) - Oral Epidemiology (lectures/seminars and assessment)

External Examining

- Former External Examiner, MSc in Dental Public Health, King's College London (2019-2023)

- Former External Examiner, BSc Hons in Oral Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh (2018-2022)

Research

Research Interests

Oral epidemiology: I led Newcastle University's contribution within the consortium that delivered the online Adult Oral Health Survey (2021). I am currently involved with the mainstage Adult Oral Health Survey (2023) in England which is led by NatCen (National Centre for Social Research) and involves colleagues at Birmingham, KCL, UCL and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). I was a clinical examiner in the national Adult Dental Health Survey (2009) and I co-authored several reports arising from data generated by the national Children's Dental Health Survey (2013).

Health services research: My PhD research focused upon decision-making and priority setting tools in NHS dentistry with respect to a need for the rational use of scarce resources at local levels. I have been involved in work relating to the evaluation of, and findings from, the current dental contract reform programme in England. I have a particular interest in how original research can influence health policy at a national level.

Qualitative research: I have experience with a variety of qualitative research techniques involving a diverse range of groups in the population. Past research has included patient groups, clinicians and NHS commissioners using approaches including participatory action research.

Dental/medical education: I am interested in dental/medical educational research linked to the widening participation agenda in higher education, the training and assessment of dental students, therapists and hygienists, and developing internationalisation and collaborative educational opportunities within the undergraduate curriculum.

Reviewer (when requested) for:

  • NIHR In-Practice Fellowship Scheme - (Invited) Expert Selection Committee for 7 years (2018 to present)
  • NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme Grants (various)
  • BMC Health Services Research
  • BMJ Open
  • BDJ Open
  • BMC Oral Health 
  • BMC Health and Quality of Life Outcomes
  • British Dental Journal
  • Community Dental Health
  • Community Dentistry & Oral Epidemiology
  • European Journal of Dental Education
  • Evidence-Based Dentistry (invited commentaries)
  • Health & Care Research Wales (Research for Patient & Public Benefit) Programme
  • JDR Clinical & Translational Research
  • Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand
  • New Zealand Dental Journal

Postgraduate Academic Supervision:

Various PhD / MSc / MPH students, taught research post-graduate dentists, 2x public health trainees (StR's) and 1x academic dental public health StR.

Postgraduate Academic Examination:

MClinDent in Restorative Dentistry

Publications