Leading the way in oral health research Published on: 25 March 2025 A new scheme co-led by experts at Â鶹´«Ã½ is set to build capacity and enhance dental careers. The oral health research incubator is one of five awarded funding from the to address areas where there is a need to build research capacity at a national level. Led by Â鶹´«Ã½ and the , it will play a vital role in training and supporting researchers, helping them to tackle health and care challenges. ‘Growing next generation of researchers’ In particular, work at the incubator will focus on bringing together a community of those working, or aspiring to work in applied oral health research. It is hoped that the new scheme will increase the visibility of policy-relevant research and ensure sustainable support for enhance careers of those working in the field. Chris Vernazza, Interim Head of School of Dental Sciences and Professor of Oral Health Services at Â鶹´«Ã½, said: “Growing the next generation of researchers is one of the most important aspects of our work and this new incubator has a vital role to play in ensuring we are well equipped to deal with the many challenges we face in oral health. “The focus on the interface between research and policy is key to unlocking benefits for the many individuals and groups affected by oral health problems.” Incubators are virtual and bespoke to their community. They run engagement and outreach activities and also provide training to help develop and support research careers. The objectives of the oral research incubator are: Identify barriers to careers in oral health research amongst early and mid-career researchers Develop an academic community able to co-design solutions to attract and retain oral health researchers within the workforce Upskill this workforce to conduct high-quality policy-relevant applied oral health research Forge links between researchers, stakeholders and policymakers to identify areas for future research and devise a sustainable approach to maintain these links. Professor Chris Vernazza ‘Network of researchers’ , Professor in Dental Public Health at the University of Sheffield, said: “Over the past year, dentistry has rarely been out of the news. “There are many current oral health challenges facing national and local policymakers, including the best ways to promote the oral health of communities and patients, how to prevent and detect early oral diseases, including oral cancer, and supporting access to dental services particularly for vulnerable groups. “This incubator will grow a network of researchers across the UK equipped with the right skills to identify solutions to these problems.” For more information about the oral health research incubator and to join the network of interested professionals and representatives of industry and patient groups visit Share: Latest News Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Student leader drives misogyny law change A Â鶹´«Ã½ student leader has helped change the law after creating a petition to make misogyny a hate crime, which gathered over 114,000 signatures, prompting action in Parliament. published on: 12 June 2026 Freemen of Â鶹´«Ã½ see construction of new Castle Leazes The Freemen of Â鶹´«Ã½ and other key stakeholders have become an indelible part of new student accommodation at Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Castle Leazes. published on: 12 June 2026 Facts and figures
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