Research
Substantial progress has been made in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of oral diseases. Yet, certain populations are still experiencing disproportionate and unacceptable burdens of these diseases. Oral health disparities and inequities continue among low-income populations and minority groups; rural, remote, and indigenous communities; those with disabilities and mobility challenges, including the frail elderly. The Population Oral Health research division focuses on oral epidemiology, Indigenous oral health research, health care services and policy research, clinical research, and dental education research.
Our professors conduct research using sophisticated conceptual frameworks that recognize a range of determinants of health at multiple levels of influence (e.g., individual, family, community, health services) and develop and test intervention strategies to improve the oral health of vulnerable populations.
Several core values and principles drive us
- Social justice and human rights
- Partnerships with health professions, communities, and society
- Scientific interdisciplinarity
- Excellence and leadership
Under this research cluster, our mission is
- To nurture and facilitate learning in undergraduate and graduate students iv and provide them with a supportive academic environment.
- To foster outstanding clinical and public health research that will respond to the needs of the population, and promote positive change in oral health, health care and access to care.
- To serve the population through the development of health promoting projects, including the novel approaches to health care delivery, knowledge translation and other strategies to improve health.
We prepare trainees for high-level leadership to make a difference in the fields of dental public health and oral health care. Using collaborative, interdisciplinary, and small-group learning environments, we provide students with advanced training in protocol development, research methodology, and data management to analyze complex oral health problems and to evaluate, design, and implement interventions to address these problems.
Population Oral Health Research Priorities:
- Oral Epidemiology
- Indigenous Oral Health Research
- Health Care Services and Policy Research
- Clinical Research
- Dental Education Research
Oral Epidemiology
In the cluster's focus on oral epidemiology, its research focuses on the occurrence, distribution, and determinants of oral disease, including biological, psychological, social, cultural and environmental factors and their complex interactions. We conduct innovative research that emphasizes the integration of substantive knowledge and cutting-edge epidemiologic methods. We teach and conduct research on the epidemiology of cancer (such as head and neck cancers, oral cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, etc.) and more common chronic diseases including dental caries and periodontal disease and their potential links with systemic diseases (e.g., obesity, cardiovascular disease).
Indigenous Oral Health Research
Oral health research can help reduce health inequities that currently exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples in Canada. By working closely with indigenous peoples in both Montreal and rural and remote communities, Indigenous Oral Health Research works towards implementing effective and equitable oral health policy, in addition to facilitating dental care access and improve competencies of oral health professionals in northern or remote indigenous communities (Canadian Dental Connection).
Health Care Services and Policy Research
Promoting innovative research and knowledge translation initiatives to improve the way oral health care services are organized, regulated, managed, financed, paid for, used and delivered, in the interest of improving the oral health and quality of life of all Canadians.
Clinical Research
Focus on the quality, safety, and effectiveness of clinical interventions designed to improve the oral health and quality of life of the population.
Dental Education Research
Promoting research with the goal of improving the quality of dental education, including curriculum design, interdisciplinary course implementation, teaching activities, mentoring, and student learning.
Knowledge translation goals
Our research: (1) generates knowledge of complex problems in dental public health; (2) helps address these problems through the development of recommendations, guidelines, and interventions; and (3) evaluates subsequent implementation with the ultimate goal of improving oral health outcomes and increasing health equity in Canada; (3) help increase understanding of the distribution and determinants of chronic oral diseases; (4) contribute to health policy development for the improvement of health outcomes and equity in Canada.
Researchers
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Dr. Paul Allison
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Dr. Christophe Bedos
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Dr. Elham Emami
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Dr. Jocelyne Feine
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Dr. Richard Hovey
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Dr. Mary Ellen Macdonald
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Dr. Sreenath Madathil
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Dr. Belinda Nicolau
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Dr. Raphael de Souza
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Dr. Ana Velly, Associate Professor,
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Research collaborators: Clinical Research
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Dr. Samer Abi-Nader
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Dr. Beatriz Ferraz dos Santos
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Dr. Bassel Kano
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Dr. Alissa Levine
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Dr. Nora Makansi
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Dr. Nicholas Makhoul
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Dr. Frances Power
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Dr. Firoozeh Samim
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Dr. Svetlana Tikhonova
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