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Associate Professor Ratilal Lalloo

Associate Professor

School of Dentistry
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
r.lalloo@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 58047

Overview

Ratilal Lalloo is the Teaching & Learning Director (2020 - ) and Associate Professor, Teaching and Research, in the School of Dentistry, University of Queensland (2016 - ); and is an Adjunct Professor in the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH), University of Adelaide. He held an academic title of Professor in the School of Dentistry and Oral Health, Griffith University from 2014-2019. He is a dental public specialist, with an undergraduate degree in dentistry (1986), honours degree in Epidemiology (1992), Masters degree in Community Dentistry (1994) and PhD in Dental Public Health from the University College London (2002). After almost 20 years as a dental academic in South Africa he took up the position of Colgate Chair & Professor: Rural, Remote and Indigenous Oral Health, in the School of Dentistry & Oral Health, Griffith University, for 5-years from January 2009. He was then a Senior Research Fellow at ARCPOH for a year (2014-2015). More recently (2015) he was an Associate Professor, on a short contract position, in the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney. He has been involved in the training of under- and post-graduate dental students, dental public health related research and various management roles. He has published widely and his main research interests vary across many dental public health issues including evidence-based dentistry, oral health-related quality of life and health inequalities.

Research Interests

  • Dental Public Health
  • Oral Epidemiology
  • Evidence-based Dentistry
  • Oral Health Related Quality of Life
  • Oral Health Inequalities

Research Impacts

Ratilal has been conducting dental public health research for more than 20 years, mainly in South Africa and more recently in Australia. Prior to 2009 his research was essentially located in South Africa, and parts of east and southern Africa (Uganda, Tanzania and Uganda). He was a team member of a group convened by WHO Africa Region oral health directorate to critically review oral health policy across sub-Saharan Africa with the aim of proposing a revised policy. His research during this time extended across many areas of dental public health, including oral health promotion and prevention at the population level, oral health systems and services, oral health policy and dental education.

Since his arrival in January 2009 in Australia he has developed a research profile locally. He has published a number of papers based on student clinical placement experiences in rural remote Indigenous Australia, in mental health, in oral cancer with colleagues in Sri Lanka; and more recently on issues related to public dental services in Queensland and antibiotic prescriptions patterns in South Africa. His research on student clinical placements informs policies across all dental schools in Australia. His work in the mental health area should lead to changes in health policy in improving the oral health of mentally ill people in our community and ultimately to better oral health and improved quality of life for our mentally ill people. From his work with Australian and Sri Lankan colleagues oral cancer screening is now an integral component of the National Cancer Control Program in Sir Lanka. A national social marketing campaign has been implemented to reduce oral cancer incidence and utilisation of substances linked to oral cancer. His analysis of the dental public service wait list in Queensland has enjoyed significant media interest. The recent work on antibiotic prescribing, mainly related to dentistry, with colleagues in South Africa, is important in the global debate on antibiotic resistance. This work will inform guidelines on appropriate antibiotic prescription for various dental conditions and procedures. More recently, and since commencing at The University of Queensland in 2016, he has been involved in research in partnership with Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia and Alzheimer’s Australia. Both areas are of significance importance in oral health. This work has the potential to inform oral health policy and practices for people suffering these debilitating conditions. While at an early stage he is involved in developing research networks and collaboration with the Oral Health Alliance (this a joint venture between the School of Dentistry at UQ and Oral Health Directorate of the Metro North Health and Hospital Service [HHS]); and with the West Moreton (Ipswich area) Oral Health Directorate and more recently with the Office of the Chief Dental Officer in Queensland. These collaborations offer opportunities for health services and translational research that directly impact communities requiring these services. He is a leading member of a new (for now informal) forum of oral health academics and researchers to build collaborations with all stakeholders in the oral health arena, including State and Local goverments, the private and public dental services sectors, professional associations and industry.

He is a member of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study and specifically the global oral health expert group. This study, funded by the Gate Foundation, is a massive undertaking to annually monitor the health of the global population. He has published extensively on the Global Burden of Disease study; with significant translation to global, regional and country-specific health policy and practice.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University College London
  • Masters (Coursework), University of the Western Cape
  • Bachelor (Honours), University of Cape Town
  • Bachelor of Dental Surgery, University of the Western Cape

Publications

View all Publications

Grants

View all Grants

Supervision

  • Oral Health Workforce

    Doctor Philosophy

  • Predictors of oral health in Australian children

    (2021) Doctor Philosophy

  • Does early access to public oral health services from 6 months of age prevent caries experience in children?

    Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Publications

Journal Article

Conference Publication

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Oral Health Workforce

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Does early access to public oral health services from 6 months of age prevent caries experience in children?

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Impact of Water Fluoridation as A Marker for Social Inequalities, possible Perceived Safety, Benefit and risks With Relation to Parental Support in Queensland, Australia

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Population oral health interventions and water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision

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Links

ResearcherID: O-5624-2014

ORCID: 0000-0001-5822-1269

Scopus ID: 57189334553

Google Scholar ID: ukLefSQAAAAJ

Personal Profile: Link

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