New Delhi, June 27: Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) proudly announce that Prof. Abhishek Mehta, Professor of Public Health Dentistry in the Faculty of Dentistry of the university has been selected as a Principal Investigator and India Lead for the prestigious NIHR Global Health Group on Oral Health project by the UK Government agency, National Institute of Healthcare and Research. This two-year long project carries a grant award of 93000 GBP.
The two-year research program aims to address the neglect of oral diseases in four lower- middle and middle-income countries, namely Kenya, Colombia, India and Brazil. The specific program aims are: (a) To assess the pattern, mechanisms and impact of oral health inequalities; (b) To determine the influence of commercial determinants on oral health and in particular the role of the sugar and tobacco industries; (c) To assess the economic burden of oral diseases and opportunities for oral health system reforms; (d) To co-produce and test public health interventions and system reforms to reduce oral health inequalities and promote population oral health. In addition, the program will aim to develop local research capacity through an extensive range of training and short courses. Community engagement and involvement activities will fully inform and support the planned research.
As part of this multinational project, in which JMI is one of the collaborators, Prof Abhishek Mehta has been tasked with the responsibility of spearheading the capacity building aspects of the project. After undertaking a training needs assessment exercise to identify specific gaps in dental public health research training in India, as part of the project, the Faculty of Dentistry will develop and implement an ambitious training and capacity building program for early and mid-career researchers selected from different dental colleges and public health institutions in India.
University College London is the lead institute and Prof Richard Watt, Professor and Honorary Consultant, Dental Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL and Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Oral Health Inequalities and Public Health is the Lead Investigator of this prestigious multinational project being conducted by 15 researchers across ten countries. The other collaborating institutes include University of Glasgow, Queen Mary University, Staffordshire University, National University of Colombia, University of Nairobi, ABRASCO, Public Health Foundation of India, Lok Swasthya SEWA Trust, National Dental Research Institute, Singapore, The Australian National University, University of Melbourne, , University of California, San Francisco, and Trinity College, Dublin.
Officiating Vice Chancellor of JMI Prof. Mohammad Shakeel and Prof. Keya Sircar, Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, JMI congratulated Prof Abhishek Mehta on being selected for this project, which can play a pivotal role in reducing the oral health inequities in our society. As part of a premier Central University, the Faculty of Dentistry is optimally positioned to carry out the mandate of the project, both in spirit and letter. This project also serves as an indication of the aspirations of the Faculty of Dentistry to play a role, at a national level, in improving oral health status of all Indians, and especially the marginalized sections of society.
