New venture to expand Dundee’s international reputation in oral health

The first of its kind, the Dundee Dental Hospital and Research School aims to embed research or quality improvement in every activity, patient contact and process that is undertaken to ensure effective, sustainable and inclusive care.

The Dental Hospital has served the Tayside region for over 100 years, with around three million patient attendances to date. Together, the University’s School of Dentistry, NHS Tayside and NHS Education for Scotland offer innovation and quality in both education and research, training dentists, hygiene-therapists, dental nurses, clinical academics and dental post-graduates from around the world.

Building on this work, the Dundee Dental Hospital and Research School will see patients invited to participate in a variety of projects designed to provide service improvement, with the aspiration that every patient contact will contribute to service development, clinical teaching and research.

Professor Jan Clarkson, Associate Dean Research in the School of Dentistry at the University of Dundee, said, “By combining the very best of the three institutions – the University of Dundee, NHS Tayside and NHS Education for Scotland, we aim to build on our great innovation and quality with a new approach that will place Dundee at the forefront of oral health research, education and treatment.”

National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch said, “The Scottish Government welcomes this innovative approach to oral health care in Scotland. Collaborations such as this will help ensure oral health care research shapes the high quality treatment of patients in the future.”

Professor David Felix, Director of Dentistry at NHS Education for Scotland, said, “NHS Education for Scotland welcomes this initiative. The collaboration will give all students, patients and team members the opportunity to be involved in research or quality improvement. This experience and training will ensure our graduating dental professionals will be ready to take this into clinical practice understanding the importance of continuous improvement throughout their lives.”

Professor Grant Archibald, Chief Executive of NHS Tayside, said, “This exciting development is continuing to build on our strong relationship with the University of Dundee and NHS Education for Scotland to provide the very best care to the patients of Tayside. Research is a vital part of service improvement and the Dundee Dental Hospital and Research School will work with patients to improve treatment delivery now and into the future.”