Dr Ekta Gupta

Biography

My early career as a dentist in India focussed on the care of people with dental needs in community settings. This interest in population oral health led directly into my Masters and PhD in Dental Public Health. I worked as post-doctoral research associate at University of Sheffield in 2014. Thereafter, I was appointed Lecturer in Dental Public Health at University of Aberdeen in March 2016.

My teaching commitments have involved developing undergraduate DPH programme in Aberdeen Dental School. My current research foucses on understanding the factors which impact oral health in elderly, evidence synthesis and health services research. My previous research has focussed on the effect of the mouth on everyday life and the use of this effect to evaluate oral health care. 

Internal Memberships

• Co-ordinator for undergradute research including vacation scholarships 
• Institite of Dentistry, Aberdeen representative at the Scottish Oral Health and Research Colloboration (SOHRC)
• Theme lead for Dental Public Health

Research Overview

My specific research interests include: oral health inequalities, oral health quality of life; health service evaluation; and the psychosocial impact of oral health conditions.

I have previously worked on a research project which aimed to develop a self-help CBT-based resource for young people with dental anxiety, funded by a Research for Patient Benefit (NIHR) grant.

My PhD research identified significant psychosocial variables and pathways predicting oral health quality of life in adults with potential implications for oral health promotion interventions and oral health inequalities. 

Current Research

I am currently working on ODRT funded study "Oral Health Literacy in older adults with Chronic Diseases "

I am involved in NIHR funded dental trials undertaken at the Health Services Research Unit at Aberdeen which focus on implementing high quality research evidence in primary dental care settings.

Funding and Grants

BSODR-ODRT PreViser Award. 2019 'Oral Health Literacy in older adults with Chronic Diseases'. 

Teaching Responsibilities

I am the lead in Dental Public Health at the Aberdeen Dental school. I am responsible for developing and teaching the UG Dental Public Health curriculum.