Professor Loc Do

Professor in Dental Public Health

School of Dentistry
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
l.do@uq.edu.au
+61 7 334 64828

Overview

Professor Loc Do is a dentist and an oral epidemiologist with special interest in social and clinical oral epidemiology. He completed his PhD in Oral Epidemiology at the University of Adelaide. He was a lead investigator in the National Child Oral Health Study 2012-14 and the National Study of Adult Oral Health 2017-19.

Loc is currently Director of Research at the School of Dentistry, University of Queensland.

Research funding: Currently, he is the Chief Investigator A of four major NHMRC- and MRFF-funded research projects: a population-based birth cohort study investigating impact of socioeconomic inequality on child oral health, a longitudinal study investigating effect of early life exposure to fluoride, a study to investigate effectiveness of water fluoridation in Queensland, and a study to develop and implement a package to improve oral health in residents of Aged Care Facilities in Queensland and NSW.

Qualifications: BDS, MScDent, PhD

Research Interests: Oral epidemiological measurement of dental diseases Quantitative analysis of oral epidemiological data including multilevel analysis Risk and benefit trade-off in the use of fluorides in children Natural history of dental fluorosis Socio-economic inequality in oral health Oral health-related quality of life Smoking as a risk factor for periodontal diseases Effectiveness and safety of water fluoridation in children Complex systems science in dental research.

Awards and Honours: In 2022, Loc is the recipient of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Distinguished Scientist H Trendley Dean Award 2022. In 2023, his paper in Journal of Dental Research was awarded the IADR Abrey Sheiham Award for Distringuished Research in Dental Public Health.

Research Interests

  • Oral epidemiology
  • Dental public health
  • Risk and benefit of fluoride
  • Determinants of oral health
  • Socioeconomic inequalities in oral health

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Adelaide
  • Masters (Coursework), University of Adelaide

Publications

View all Publications

Supervision

View all Supervision

Available Projects

  • A population-based study of child oral health in Queensland. Funded by a NHMRC Ideas Grant. Investigates effectiveness and safety of water fluoridation using a before-and-after study design.

    An UQ Earmarked scholarship for PhD candidates is available. See https://graduate-school.uq.edu.au/phd-scholarships-health

  • A long-term population-based birth cohort study of children born in 2013-14. Funded by two consecutive NHMRC Project Grants. Investigates determinants of child oral health and overweight/obesity.

  • A follow-up study of 24,000 children who participated in the National Child Oral Health Study 2012-14. Funded by a NHMRC Project Grant. Investigates effects of early life fluoride exposures and dental caries experience on child general health and wellbeing.

View all Available Projects

Publications

Book

Book Chapter

  • Chrisopoulos, S., Ellershaw, A., Luzzi, L., Roberts-Thomson, K. F. and Do, L. G. (2016). Measuring child oral health and its influences. Oral health of Australian children: the National Child Oral Health Study 2012–14. (pp. 15-34) Adelaide, SA Australia: University of Adelaide Press. doi: 10.20851/ncohs-02

  • Do, L.G., Harford, J.E., Ha, D.H. and Spencer, A.J. (2016). Australian children’s general health behaviours. Oral health of Australian children. (pp. 212-236) edited by L.G. Do and A.J. Spencer . Adelaide, SA, Australia: University of Adelaide Press. doi: 10.20851/ncohs

  • Ha, D. H., Roberts-Thomson, K. F., Arrow, P., Peres, K. G. and Do, L. G. (2016). Children’s oral health status in Australia, 2012–14. Oral health of Australian children: The National Child Oral Health Study 2012–14. (pp. 86-149) edited by Loc G. Do and A. John Spencer. Adelaide, SA Australia: University of Adelaide Press. doi: 10.20851/ncohs-05

  • Spencer, A. J. and Do, L. G. (2016). Children’s oral health — assessing and improving oral health. Oral health of Australian children: the National Child Oral Health Study 2012–14. (pp. 1-14) edited by Loc G. Do and A. John Spencer. Adelaide, SA Australia: University of Adelaide Press. doi: 10.20851/ncohs-01

  • Ellershaw, A., Koster, C. and Do, L. G. (2016). Data weighting, consideration and estimation procedures. Oral health of Australian children: the National Child Oral Health Study 2012–14. (pp. 35-47) edited by Loc G. Do and A. John Spencer. Adelaide, SA Australia: University of Adelaide Press. doi: 10.20851/ncohs-03

  • Spencer, A. J. and Do, L. G. (2016). Interpretation of findings and a way forward to improving oral health and dental care. Oral health of Australian children: the National Child Oral Health Study 2012–14. (pp. 306-321) edited by Loc G. Do and A. John Spencer. Adelaide, SA Australia: University of Adelaide Press. doi: 10.20851/ncohs-12

  • Roberts-Thomson, K. F., Kapellas, K., Ha, D. H., Jamieson, L. M., Arrow, P. and Do, L. G. (2016). Oral health status and behaviours of Indigenous Australian children. Oral health of Australian children: the National Child Oral Health Study 2012–14. (pp. 264-287) edited by Loc G. Do and A. John Spencer. Adelaide, SA Australia: University of Adelaide Press. doi: 10.20851/ncohs-10

  • Do, L. G., Luzzi, L., Ha, D. H., Roberts-Thomson, K. F., Chrisopoulos, S., Armfield, J. M. and Spencer, A. J. (2016). Trends in child oral health in Australia. Oral health of Australian children: the National Child Oral Health Study 2012–14. (pp. 288-305) edited by Loc G. Do and A. John Spencer. Adelaide, SA Australia: University of Adelaide Press. doi: 10.20851/ncohs-11

Journal Article

Conference Publication

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.

  • A population-based study of child oral health in Queensland. Funded by a NHMRC Ideas Grant. Investigates effectiveness and safety of water fluoridation using a before-and-after study design.

    An UQ Earmarked scholarship for PhD candidates is available. See https://graduate-school.uq.edu.au/phd-scholarships-health

  • A long-term population-based birth cohort study of children born in 2013-14. Funded by two consecutive NHMRC Project Grants. Investigates determinants of child oral health and overweight/obesity.

  • A follow-up study of 24,000 children who participated in the National Child Oral Health Study 2012-14. Funded by a NHMRC Project Grant. Investigates effects of early life fluoride exposures and dental caries experience on child general health and wellbeing.