Oral public health
Our researchers are co-partnering with communities to translate healthcare findings into practice.
Our research improves oral health care for rural people by supporting policy change and improvement in service access, treatment, prevention and promotion to reduce disparities in oral public health measures for rural communities.
Oral Public Health Lead Contact: Dr Virginia Dickson-Swift
Centre staff projects
Research team:
- Professor Hanny Calache
- Dr Rachel Martin (North Richmond Community Health)
- Dr Bradley Christian
- Associate Professor Kevin McNamara (Deakin University)
- Carolyn Loton (Junto’s Marketing)
Dry mouth is a debilitating condition affecting quality of life.
This study will enhance the capacity of pharmacists to manage, support and assist clients affected by dry mouth. The team is co-producing and testing educational material that will enable pharmacists to discuss dry mouth and its management with consumers. The team is also developing a range of resources for consumers aimed at educating them about dry mouth and management of this condition. This health promotion approach will be trialled and evaluated in five metropolitan and five rural community pharmacies.
This research is supported by the Alliance for a Cavity Free Future.
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This new research project focuses on the role of local government municipal public health planning in oral health in rural Victoria.
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This is a new research project on water flouridation in rural Victoria.
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This research comparing rural and metropolitan oral health in adult Australians over time is undertaken in collaboration with the Australian Research Centre in Population Oral Health.
Research team:
- Dr. Masood Mohd
- Dr Virginia Dickson-Swift
- Professor Amanda Kenny,
- Professor Mark Gussy (VVMCRHR, University of Lincoln),
- Dr Ron Knevel
- Brad Christian
- Professor Len Crocombe
This is a scoping study of oral health and rurality.
Research team:
- Shahrukh Khan,
- Professor Leonard Crocombe,
- Dr Virginia Dickson-Swift
- Lucy O’Malley (University of Manchester),
- Silvana Bettiol (University of Tasmania),
- Craig Smith (University of Manchester)
This reseearch surveys the perspectives of stroke survivors, their carers, and allied health professionals on oral health care of stroke survivors
Research Team:
- Dr Mohd Masood,
- Professor Mark Gussy (VVMCRHR, University of Lincoln),
- Professor Tim Newton (King’s College London, United Kingdom),
- Professor Satu Lahti (University of Turku, Finland),
- Professor Jocelyn Fine (University of McGill University, Canada),
- Professor Om Prakash Kharbanda (AIIMS, India)
This study examines the barriers and enablers of doing research among dental academics in India.
Research team:
- Rantavuori Kari (University of Turku, Finland),
- Silvola Anna-Sofia (University of Turku, Finland),
- Suominen Auli (University of Turku, Finland),
- Dr Masood Mohd
- Suominen Liisa (University of Turku, Finland),
- Lahti Satu (University of Turku, Finland)
- Aziz Rehman (Federation University)
This research examines the Malocclusion traits and oral health-related quality of life in Finnish national population.
Higher degree research student projects
Research team:
- Marietta Taylor (PhD candidate)
- Dr Mohd Masood
- Dr George Mnatzaganian
Complete dentures are prosthetic devices used to restore speech, appearance and function to edentulous patients. Fabrication of complete dentures has financial implications at the individual and public level.
This project aims to quantify the longevity and failure of complete dentures, and of complete dentures as opposed to natural teeth, in a population of patients who have received care through the Victorian public dental service. Understanding the natural history of complete dentures, including their lifespan and failure rate, will help policymakers to develop a denture replacement plan.
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This is a pilot study investigating child oral health knowledge and professional practice of General Practitioners.
Research team:
- Dr Prabhakar Veginadu (PhD candidate)
- Professor Hanny Calache
- Dr Mohd Masood
- Professor Mark Gussy (VVMCRHR, University of Lincoln),
Australia resettles around 18,000 refugees each year. Victoria has received about a third of these refugees, 50% of which are expected to settle in regional and rural areas by 2022.
Refugees are considered a vulnerable group, as they are at an increased risk of poor oral health compared to the general population, with limited access to public dental services in Victoria. This study explores access as it relates to the resettled refugee population in Victoria. A geographic information system-based spatial analysis, using secondary data gathered from multiple sources, will be employed. Findings will inform oral health policy and highlight critical areas for future research.
Research team:
- Stacey Bracksley-O’Grady (PhD candidate)
- Dr Mohd Masood
- Dr Karen Anderson
This project investigates the preparedness of undergraduate dental and oral health students to undertake health promotion in Australia. It will explore the health promotion content in dental and oral health courses; dental/oral health educator’s knowledge and skills in health promotion, and their preparedness to translate this into learning and teaching; and graduate perceptions on how prepared they feel to undertake health promotion in practice.
Research team:
- Anton Sklavos (MPhil),
Supervision team:
Orofacial Infection of Odontogenic Origin Requiring Surgical Management in a Metropolitan and Regional Tertiary Hospital in Victoria: Comparison of Service Provision and Healthcare Cost
Research team:
- Dr Rahila Christian (PhD candidate)
- Professor Hanny Calache,
- Professor Mark Gussy (VVMCRHR, University of Lincoln),
- Professor Teresa Iacono (Living with Disability Research Centre)
This research addresses the reasons why children with intellectual or developmental disability do not enjoy equity in access to dental services.