About me
A licensed dentist, lecturer, and researcher at Karolinska Institute (Sweden), Department of Dental Medicine, Division of Geriatric Dentistry, I completed my former studies with a Bachelor’s degree in Dentistry, in India and later in Sweden, and a doctoral degree at Lund University in Geriatric Medicine and Epidemiology.
Research description
As a course leader for education in Geriatric dentistry, I am responsible for graduate program courses for dentists, dental hygienists, speech therapists, and doctors specializing in Geriatrics.
My research focuses on Oral health as risk factors for systemic diseases, and I am particularly interested in elderly health and working with large-scale public health projects on epidemiological analysis and interventions for the oral health and related link with health and well-being of people with medical and psychiatric conditions. Recently, I have been actively involved in participating and developing education programs on oral health and dementia. I am also the research head for the Mouth-Brain Bridge project in collaboration with the Department of Neuroscience and Biology and a research partner in the Cortisol & Stress in Alzheimer’s disease (Co-STAR) project.
I am actively involved both in the academic program group within ACT (Academic Center for Geriatric Dentistry, Stockholm) and participate in education and research both at intra- and inter-regional tiers. My other regional and international collaborations have created academic and research ties with universities in Gothenburg & Lund, Sweden, Connecticut, USA, and Chennai, India. The internship program at the World Health Organization, HQ Geneva has led to research collaboration with the HIV Care and Treatment Unit, South Africa and Department of Oral Health, WHO, Geneva.
I am a deputy in the SACO-S (the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations) board and representative in committees and councils, supporting and advising our members and union advocacy.
Teaching portfolio
Today, I take sole responsibility for the education in Geriatric dentistry at KI dental and dental hygienist program. The Department of Dental Medicine is the only department in Sweden that has this Gerodontics course with accreditations. I have supervised many masters and undergraduate students and offer my expertise in study design and analysis for doctoral students and (Oro-facial medicine) specialist trainees.
Education
- Bachelors in Dental Surgery, (DDS) India and Sweden
- Masters in Public Health, Sweden
- Doctor in Philosophy, Geriatric Medicine & Nutritional Epidemiology, Sweden