Inequalities in Oral Health

This theme encompasses research in the areas of special care dentistry, ageing, paediatric dentistry and public dental health. Research on how education can be used to change attitudes and behaviours and to improve treatment provision to patients with special needs is a major subtheme.

Several projects involve collaborations with The Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing (TILDA), including an investigation of oral health outcomes in older Irish adults (Brian O’Connell) and treatment provision to older adults with intellectual disability (Caoimhin MacGiolla Padraig). Researchers are also engaged with the TCD based Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study to analyse nutrition and dentition in a large cohort of Irish Children (Michael O’Sullivan). Other significant collaborations include St. Vincent’s and St. James’s hospitals in Dublin on dental treatment of patients with coagulation disorders (Alison Dougall).

Further details of our research can be found by selecting the staff links below: