Reducing oral health inequalities: Improving participation of children with intellectual disabilities in Childsmile's supervised toothbrushing programme
Supervisors:
Dr Marie Kotzur, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
Dr Stephanie Chambers, School of Social & Political Sciences
Professor David Conway, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
Professor Deborah Cairns, School of Health & Wellbeing
Professor Andrea Sherriff , School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
Summary:
Children in Scotland with intellectual disabilities/autism (ID/A) experience inequalities in oral health and dental service access. This project is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious doctoral candidate to examine why fewer children with ID/A participate in the Childsmile daily supervised toothbrushing programme (STB) and the National Dental Inspection Programme (NDIP) than other children; and how to better support their oral health. This knowledge will facilitate the development of interventions to improve participation in STB and NDIP in educational settings through innovative qualitative and participatory research and systematic evidence synthesis.
This project has been developed with input from families and key external partners in education and oral health care. The successful candidate will be supported by an interdisciplinary supervisory team and a Steering Group comprising Childsmile regional programme managers, NDIP members of staff, and members of support organisations for people with ID/A.
The successful candidate will be based within the University of Glasgow Dental School in a vibrant group of around 20 PhD students and will be linked closely to the Schools of Health and Wellbeing and Social and Political Sciences. The University provides a diverse programme of research and skills training to equip postgraduates with the necessary attributes on graduation.