Background

I am a Senior Dental Officer in Derbyshire Community Dental Services Community Interest Company (CIC).  I work across various dental clinics in Derbyshire and at the Royal Derby Hospital treating special care adults and children.

I am lead for Research and Quality Improvement within the service and am very keen to give our patients from underserved groups a “voice” and to get them more involved in designing and being part of dental research which will be of benefit to them.  I graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1999 with commendation.

I started to become interested in research in 2014 and completed a Masters in Dental Public Health from the University of Sheffield, with distinction in 2016.  I was then successful in obtaining an NIHR In-Practice Fellowship which allowed me to conduct research specifically related to patients seen within the Community Dental Services.  I also received small grant funding from the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) and the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) to conduct some further research with children undergoing dental treatment under general anaesthetic and their parents/carers.

I have supported several different research studies including  the CALM and MILD study.  I am keen to support others within the CDS to develop an interest in research and have had 3 dentists and one dental nurse complete the Associate Principal Investigator (API) scheme, under my mentorship.  As part of my role as Research Champion for the CRN Oral and Dental Speciality for East Midlands, we have been successful in setting up a practice research scheme within the East Midlands- the first of its kind, to encourage dental teams within general dental practice to take part in research.

Scholarship Project Idea

I am very grateful to the EM CRN for awarding me a research scholarship.  During this year, I hope to develop and strengthen links within CDS and with external organisations to increase our research capacity.

I will undertake PPIE activities with our patients and their carers to identify key oral and dental research priorities and consider barriers to them being involved in oral and dental research.  I will also apply for small grant funding from the Oral and Dental Research Trust as well as work towards submitting an NIHR Pre-clinical funding application.