Oral Health Services and Clinical Epidemiology Research Group
Our team undertakes oral health research in addition to evidence-based research and meta-research projects to inform practice and policy

"Emotionally he’s transformed, nutritionally he’s put on weight because he’s able to eat, his self‐esteem, his confidence and employment opportunities, his sense of worth is now fully established … his decision was ‘I either continue on this path of destruction’, which was very much influenced by his childhood experiences, or ‘I survive and thrive and I move forward’. And he chose the latter, and part of that was because he was linked to the dental school.’ (Support Worker)
The research group works closely with Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE). PDSE (listed as one of the top 100 social enterprise companies in the country) is a not-for-profit organisation and the clinical arm of Peninsula Dental School. It works closely with local communities, partner agencies and NHS Commissioners to improve oral health and reduce inequalities through education, community engagement, training and treatment. It uses evidence-based approaches to improve access to dental care for all, particularly those excluded from mainstream dentistry.
PDSE has developed a community clinic which treats people experiencing homelessness, individuals using drug and alcohol services, as well as vulnerable women who risk of having multiple children removed from their care free of charge and has won numerous prizes for its work. In 2020, the clinic was the winner of the South West Region Health Equalities Award. It has been shortlisted for a National Health Service (NHS) Equalities Awards. Further work is underway to broaden access to more vulnerable groups.
Privacy-preserving Robotics in Dentistry project is an interdisciplinary initiative between dentistry, robotics and cyber security. Socially-assistive robots have been used in other settings e.g. dementia and autism with positive results in supporting patients in performing tasks or reducing anxiety. There were smaller studies done on children in dentistry demonstrating that it can help them to cope with anxiety and stress better. However, there is a number of areas of dental care especially with challenging patients that socially-assistive robots can be helpful. We are currently working with different groups to identify these areas, design and adapt the intervention and evaluate their effectiveness. We also take cyber security aspects into account, aiming at designing and providing a secure robotics system for dental care.
We have a series of projects that involve synthesising studies of clinical and pre-clinical research (animal and human studies). We conduct meta-research studies to innovate the methods to address the needs of these reviews. These reviews include:
In a team with researchers from QUEST centre/Berlin Institute of Health (that hosts the CAMARADES coordinating centre) along with researchers and interns based in the Space Medicine Team of European Astronaut Centre/European Space Agency (ESA) and researchers based in University of Glasgow, UC Irvine. Currently, we work on two systematic reviews on impact of ionising radiation. Our projects are available on Open Science Forum: "Are there sex differences in susceptibility to ionised radiation" and "Non-neoplastic effects of ionising radiation on central nervous system - a systematic review."
Systematic reviews in Dentistry: In previous surveys of systematic reviews of in-vitro studies, a large number of the reviews are conducted in dentistry that reflects the importance of in-vitro studies in dental research, policy and practice. We worked on systematic reviews that involved clinical and in-vitro studies e.g. "Systematic review to assess the effectiveness of mechanical preparation of abutment teeth on the survival of resin bonded bridges". We are currently working with the space dentistry ESA topical Team to synthesise studies involving human, animal and in-vitro studies to inform dental guidelines.
As part of this project, we introduced a series of innovation that includes new quality assessment for in-vitro studies (see the tools and guidelines section) along with developing machine learning algorithm that can screen complex data in addition to the findings of the reviews.
Between 2014-2017, we were part of an innovative Doctoral Programme called CogNovo funded by the EU Marie Skłodowska Curie initiative and the University of Plymouth, to foster research training in the emerging field of Cognitive Innovation. CogNovo offered transdisciplinary training that combined scientific studies of the neural correlates and mechanisms of creativity, with investigations into the role of creativity in human cognition, and their application in sustainable technological and social innovation. The project continued beyond CogNovo, this included a funding from Plymouth Health Global Research fund to support a conference (Off the lip) and research residency (Collaboratoire) in Philippines in partnership with the SEADS network focusing on cognitive innovation in sustainability.
One of the CogNovo projects included Agatha Haines project on 'Ideas Exchange: Design and the post bio-tech body'. Her work included a reflection on design and procedures in dentistry from the speculative design perspective.
Project Leads:
Anxious patients, children and individuals with physical and intellectual impairments can make sudden unexpected movements when receiving dental treatment, often in anticipation of what they think is to come. Dentists need to learn how to manage and anticipate these reactions to prevent harm to the patient, but most dentists are only able to learn these skills through their individual experiences of patient care.
This project used video-based observation research methods from the humanities to explore such complex interactions between patient and dentist. By analysing video data, such as facial expressions, eye gaze patterns and non-verbal communication skills, a taxonomy of patient reactions to dental treatment was developed. This analysis revealed some evidence of patient anxiety which students need to be sensitive to, and the project offers an example of how we can make more useful videos in this context (i.e. by repositioning cameras etc.).
This project will contribute to education research and the analysis will be used to develop a proof of concept/framework for a training module or CPD programme. This module will make use of a video ethnographic film tool kit and video reflexive exercises during debriefing sessions to develop an understanding of visual literacy. It is also anticipated that the project will be a pilot for a larger and more extensive project to enhance simulation education.
Many dental procedures produce aerosols that can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms and can pose a risk for the spread of infections between dentists and patients. This became an important topic during the COVID-19 pandemic due to concerns around transmission of the virus during the procedures. Our group has been involved in two Cochrane reviews led by Sumanth Kumbargere, (one of our PhD students) with a multinational team from UK, Malaysia, Netherlands and Bahrain. The project has been featured on Dental Elf. The data from one of the reviews also support one of the reports of the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme.
Kumbargere Nagraj S, Eachempati P, Paisi M, Nasser M, Sivaramakrishnan G, Verbeek JH. Interventions to reduce contaminated aerosols produced during dental procedures for preventing infectious diseases. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Oct 12;10(10):CD013686. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013686.pub2. PMID: 33047816; PMCID: PMC8164845. Interventions to reduce contaminated aerosols produced during dental procedures for preventing infectious diseases - PubMed (nih.gov)
Kumbargere Nagraj S, Eachempati P, Paisi M, Nasser M, Sivaramakrishnan G, Francis T, Verbeek JH. Preprocedural mouth rinses for preventing transmission of infectious diseases through aerosols in dental healthcare providers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Aug 22;8(8):CD013826. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013826.pub2. PMID: 35994295; PMCID: PMC9394685. Preprocedural mouth rinses for preventing transmission of infectious diseases through aerosols in dental healthcare providers - PubMed (nih.gov)
Exploring the impact of enhanced personal protective equipment upon patient communication and wider clinical practice within primary care dental settings
One of our Academic Clinical Fellows (Alexander Legge) led this project in collaboration with Mona Nasser and Jos Latour.
Literature within the general healthcare setting suggests that enhanced-PPE impacts upon healthcare workers’ communication and clinical skills, and this study aimed to take steps towards exploring how enhanced-PPE impacted upon dental practice.
The project team conducted qualitative interviews utilising an interpretative phenomenological analytic methodology to explore the lived experiences of dental practitioners. Analysis indicated that practitioners perceived enhanced-PPE to have a negative impact upon communication, impairing the building of practitioner-patient relationships and causing strain between colleagues. Dentists also experienced additional physical and psychological stress when using enhanced-PPE, which was perceived to compromise the care provided to patients.
It is important to consider the likelihood of similar pandemic events affecting the provision of community healthcare services in the future, and to use the experiences of healthcare workers to improve preparedness. There is a need to work towards striking a balance between using enhanced-PPE in a way which is protective, whilst minimising its impact on communication, clinical skills and reducing wastage.
The use of enhanced levels of personal protective equipment became necessary when undertaking many routine dental procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic and immediate post-pandemic era.
This project is led by one of our PhD students Shiamaa Shihab Ahmed Al Mashhadani. Shiamaa is based at the Dubai Health Authority and is currently undertaking a PhD on how to improve oral health for children with a disability.
Good oral health contributes to improving general health and wellbeing and quality of life. Various studies have shown dental care was the most commonly reported unmet service need impacting quality of life, social, emotional and physical wellbeing in children with disabilities. There have also been challenges that face the children in terms of access to dental care, availability of preventive intervention, oral health literacy and education to the caregivers and challenges involved in providing oral health care and services.
The project aims to identify the barriers and enablers of oral health for children with disabilities to set a conceptual framework to include all the factors that support the improvement of oral healthcare for children with disabilities in the perspectives of the caregivers and parents, dental and medical health providers.
Shiamaa is also active in giving presentations on oral health promotion and she was featured as one of the leading women in dentistry by FDI World Dental Federation.
Systematic review driven conceptual model of uncertainties in health care to guide a primary participatory research to explore how different individuals respond to uncertainties in oral health decisions.
Uncertainty pervades every aspect of the health care system. Identifying the different meanings and conceptual models of uncertainty proposed in health care with a systematic review will allow us to explore the patterns emerging from such models so that we can move further to identify how people interpret and respond to such uncertainties. One of our PhD students led a systematic review to develop a holistic model of uncertainties that covers different levels of decision-making in healthcare. This review is a key part of the PhD and shapes a study involving a multi-ethnic and multi-language group of dentists and patient in Malaysia to understand how individuals perceive and manage under certainties in dental decisions.
This systematic review was able to deconstruct the separate layers of uncertainty affecting health decisions and allowed the team to acknowledge that uncertainty can change and evolve during interactions between different people. The framework will be used to design a primary participatory research which intends to explore how individuals of different ethnicities and uncertainty tolerance respond to uncertainties in oral health decision.
Watch Prashanti Eachempati present SR to develop taxonomy of uncertainty
Sumanth Kumbargere and Prashanti Eachempati, two of our PhD students, are leading the development a toolkit with a wider team (Mona Nasser, Seilin Uhm – University of Southampton and Soumyadeep Bhaumik – the George Institute for Global Health in India) are working on developing a toolkit for the development and implementation of a research projects and research priority setting exercises (RPS) involving a multiethnic and multilanguage groups. It builds on their PhD work on engaging with multi-ethnic and multi-language group along with other stakeholder engagement projects done by the wider team. The project is done in partnership with Cochrane Priority Setting Methods Group.
Watch Sumanth Kumbargere Nagraj present 'Involving multi-ethnic groups in EBR process'
The research group hosts the Cochrane Priority Setting Methods Group. The methods group is part of Cochrane and focuses on developing methodology and advise Cochrane and its entities about the empirical evidence available on methods for research priority setting or developing research agenda. It also serves as a discussion forum connecting people interested in methods to set research agendas or priorities inside and out of Cochrane. The methods group involves researchers from University of Plymouth, University of Ottawa (Canada), University College London, Campbell Collaboration (international), University of Modena (Italy), University of Edinburgh, the George Institute for Global Health (India), Melaka-Manipal Medical College (Malaysia). A featured recent project is that we are working on how to engage with a multi-ethnic and multi-language stakeholders group in setting priorities for research in oral health in Malaysia.
We are part of a COST-EU Action project called EVBRES (Evidence-Based RESearch) a four year (2018-2022) EU-funded COST function CA-17117. The collaboration encourage researchers and other stakeholders to use an Evidence-Based Research (EBR) approach while carrying out and supporting clinical research – thus avoiding redundant research. The project involved 109 participants representing 37 European Countries.
ColLaboratoire 2020 is a week-long research residency program in multiple-disciplinary research and sustainability, especially in the context of Philippines. During the residency, ColLaboratoire Fellows will explore applying imaginative, methodologically innovative, and radically multiple-disciplinary approaches to six research challenges related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. For one week on the island of Siargao, ColLaboratoire Fellows will look at innovative ways to address the research challenges that combine teaching with applied and multiple-disciplinary research practice.
Inspired by the successful ColLaboratoire 2016 research summer school, ColLaboratoire 2020 is a collaboration between the University of the Philippines Open University, the University of Plymouth, the CogNovo Foundation for Cognitive Innovation, and local and international partners from industry and civic society.
Watch Collaboratoire, Siargao Philippines January 2020 on Vimeo
This quality assessment tool was developed as part of the collaboration with researchers of European Astronaut Centre (ESA) and QUEST centre/Berlin Institute of Health. It is a quality assessment tool for in-vitro studies focusing on impact of ionising radiation that can be further generalised to other fields OSF | Quality assessment tools for in-vitro studies. We are currently finalising a new checklist for in-vitro dental material studies that will be available soon.
The Cochrane Priority Setting Methods Group worked along with the Campbell-Cochrane Equity Methods Group to develop an equity lens to guide future prioritisation and agenda setting strategies for systematic review groups. Although the guideline was written specifically targeting Cochrane groups. It can be used and expanded to other research priority setting exercises.
We are currently developing an updated version of the tool that be available soon.
The WHO guidance on Research Methods for Health EDRM is the culmination of many face-to-face and virtual consultations among experts from WHO, member states and partner organisations, who have contributed to the development and review of this document. The guidance is derived from the existing scientific evidence in Health EDRM, and is delineated in 43 chapters that cover a wide range of research fields. The project was coordinated by WHO Kobe Centre. Our research group contributed to developing chapter 2.7 on priority setting methods.