Alexandria, Va., USA, May 6, 2020 – The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) announces Richard G. Watt, University College of London, England, as the 2020 recipient of the Distinguished Scientist Award in Global Oral Health Research.
Watt is a professor of Dental Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, at the University College London Medical (UCL). He is also Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Oral Health Inequalities and Public Health.
He completed a Bachelor in Dental Surgery (BDS) at the University of Edinburgh in 1984. After that, he completed a Master and PhD of Dental Public Health, at University College London in 1989 and 1995 respectively. Richard is currently an Honorary Consultant in Dental Public Health and Director of Research, Development and Innovation, Central North West London Foundation NHS Trust. He is the Founder and lead of the International Centre for Oral Health Inequalities Research and Policy – network of 55 researchers and policymakers from 17 countries.
Watt is a scientific advisor to EU, FDI and WHO oral health expert groups. His research areas of interest include the development and evaluation of oral health intervention, theoretical basis of oral health improvement interventions, nature of oral health inequalities and social gradients both within and between countries, social determinants of oral health inequalities, association between oral and general health through common risk approach and the development and evaluation of health public policy.
The Global Oral Health Research Award is supported by GlaxoSmithKline. One of the 17 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards, it is one of the highest honors bestowed by IADR. The IADR Global Oral Health Research Award honors IADR and AADR Past President John Greenspan, who is the founding President of the IADR Global Oral Health Inequalities Research Network and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health’s Global Oral Health Interest Group. The award consists of a monetary award and a plaque and recognizes research that addresses inequalities in global oral health.
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 IADR/AADR/CADR General Session, the award was given locally.
About the International Association for Dental Research
The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with over 10,000 individual members worldwide, with a Mission to drive dental, oral and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being worldwide. To learn more, visit www.iadr.org.