Overview
In February 2022 I joined the School of Dentistry as a Research Associate in Welsh Oral Health Information Unit (WOHIU) working on the childhood oral epidemiology programme.
I am also working on a study entitled "Evaluating Enhanced Continuing Professional Development" currently being conducted in collaboration with Cardiff Unit for Research and Evaluation in Medical and Dental Education (CUREMeDE) on behalf of the General Dental Council.
I recently completed PhD exploring oral health education in general dental practices in South Wales (graduated July 2022). The aim of this study was to explore how oral health education is understood and delivered within a preventive and health promoting approach which encourages patient self-care.
Research
Research interests
As well as receiving post-graduate research skills training (MSc Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology, PhD) I have experience of research exploring different aspects of health and social care in the primary, secondary and voluntary sectors. My work has involved collaborating with external educational, health, social care, regulatory, and governmental organisations. In my pre-PhD post as a Research Associate at CUREMeDE I worked on studies on professional education, workforce development and skill-mix in healthcare services such as general dental practices, community pharmacies, and optometry.
A list of my publications can be found on Google Scholar or ORCiD
Thesis
Understanding Dental Professionals’ Roles in Oral Health Education
My PhD explored how oral health education is understood and delivered within a preventive and health promoting approach which encourages patient self-care and how it is received by adult patients.
Given increasing demands on dentistry, socio-economic differences in oral health, and growing emphasis on prevention and patient self-management, there is a need to research how members of the dental team can best support self-care in contexts of social and economic deprivation without unintentially widening inequalities.
Working with my partner organisations Cwm Taf Morgannwg and Aneurin Bevan University Health Boards, this qualitative study will focus on dental professionals working in NHS general dental practices within the South Wales valleys regions and the views and experiences of the adult patients who attend their practices.
This KESS2-funded PhD was supervised by Prof Alison Bullock at CUREMeDE and Prof Ivor Chestnutt at Cardiff University Dental School.
Funding source
KESS 2
