Improving child oral health through longitudinal birth cohort
research
12 October - 16 November 2024
Biography
I am a dentist and a Senior Research Fellow at the Population Oral Health at UQ (POHUQ), School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland. Relative to opportunities, I have made exceptional contributions to the national and international population-based research programs in oral health. My contribution was evidenced in research leadership as a Chief Investigator in three successful NHMRC Project Grants and one MRFF grant (totalling $AU 4 mil), in intellectual input to development of new data collection instruments such as questionnaires, oral epidemiological examination protocols. My research program has made significant knowledge impact such as informing NHMRC Review on Water Fluoridation 2017, and the IADR Policy Statement on Community Water Fluoridation 2022. I currently lead a clinical and research team to conduct a large population-based birth cohort study of child dental health (the SMILE study), which has been running for ten years. With seven waves of data collection of over 2000 mother/child dyads over ten years, SMILE is arguably one of the largest and most comprehensive independent birth cohort studies internationally. I am currently the principal trainer in oral epidemiological examination of the Queensland Child Oral Health Study. My intellectual leadership has been recognised by invited presentations, including the IADR General Session, London 2018, and Bogota 2023, to present the concept and findings of the SMILE birth cohort study. Nationally, I was invited to speak at the National Workshop on Fluoride Guidelines 2019; the Annual Meetings of the IADR ANZ Division 2017, 2022. My publication in JDR (Ha et al 2021) attracted wide attention (Altmetric 81; 8 News Outlets). My recent publication (Ha et al, JDR CTR 2022) was recognised as a research breakthrough at the IADR Bogota. I am the senior author in a recent publication in JDR (Do et al 2023) that was the most trending paper in JDR (Altmetric 758; 94 News Outlets). I jointly received the IADR Aubrey Sheiham Award for Distinguished Research in Dental Public Health, Bogota 2023.
Research Summary
University of Bristol is a premier research institute with extensive research programs in epidemiology, particularly in early life and intergenerational research in health. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) led by University of Bristol is one of the most comprehensive birth cohort studies in the world. I aim to learn from research programs from ALSPAC in order to further improve research programs of our SMILE study. The University of Bristol Dental School has a strong research unit in lifecourse research, Epidemiology and Health Services Research (EHSR). I will be working with a key member of the EHSR, Professor Sam Leary, who has been collaborator in our research, including the SMILE birth cohort and another prospective study.
Our research, the SMILE population-based birth cohort study in Australia (Ha et al, J Dentistry 2022), has collected comprehensive prospective data for over ten years. The dataset includes comprehensive data on nutrition, general and dental health behaviours, use of dental services, and clinical oral health status of the children and their mothers. The data allow for in-depth investigation of early life determinants of oral and general health, and its effects over the lifecourse. Our SMILE birth cohort data are capable to answer questions about determinants of oral health and socioeconomic inequalities in oral health to inform policies and practice.
I plan to develop my skills in this important field of dental research through collaborations and researcher development programs available at the University of Bristol. I will learn causal inference and lifecourse approaches from the University of Bristol which are international leaders in this field. Close collaborations between myself and Professor Leary and other researchers with common research interests during my visit at the University of Bristol will allow us to produce high quality research outputs using the SMILE comprehensive data.
Lectures and seminars
Open talk: 'Impact of early childhood exposure to fluoride on child development'
Early life use of fluoride is important in preventing dental caries. However, there are concerns about potential effects of fluoride on child development. The longitudinal Australia-wide Tooth for Health study has investigated such potential effects.
Date and Time: Tuesday 22nd October, 12:30-1:30pm
Venue: Bristol Dental School cafe area
The first years of life are a critical period in child development and health. Recent research has suggested that the roots of chronic conditions such as dental caries need to be traced back to as early in life as possible. Variations in health and development exist in the early years of life, that while small in comparison with those amongst adults, can lead to substantial divergence in health trajectories later in life.
The Study of Mothers’ and Infants’ Life Events Affecting Oral Health (SMILE) is a 10-year running population-based birth cohort in oral health in Australia. Key investigators of the SMILE include Dr Diep Ha of University of Queensland and Prof Sam Leary of University of Bristol. The SMILE has produced comprehensive analysis of impact of early life factors such as intake of free sugars, socioeconomic status and social support on children’s oral health, collected at age two, five and eight years. This talk will present SMILE’s key findings and discuss potential implications for child oral health.
Date and Time: Wednesday 13th November, 1-2pm
Venue: Bristol Dental School, room TBC
You can contact Dr. Ha's host Professor Sam Leary for further information.
