Dr Vishal Aggarwal (BDS, MFDSRCS, PhD, Hon. FFGDP) - personal details

• International Association for Studies of Pain (IASP)
• Oro-facial Pain Special Interest Group of IASP
• National Oro-facial Pain and TMD Special Interest Group (USOT)
• Faculty of General Dental Practitioners Research Committee
• Faculty of General Dental Practitioners Divisional Research Contact for the North West
• British Dental Association
• Manchester Medical Society
• Royal College of Surgeons

BDS (Honors), MFDSRCS (Eng), PhD, Hon FFGDP

I am one of few working general dental practitioners to hold research roles within an academic institution. In 2007 I was appointed as a Walport lecturer in primary dental care and through this progressed to achieve a highly prestigious NIHR clinician scientist award. This is an important appointment for the dental profession as it sets an exemplar for GDPs and my career pathway is seen as providing a template for future clinical academics from primary dental care. I have integrated very successfully with the Oral Health Unit and set up collaborative research networks with primary care groups to translate the findings of my PhD work into a behavioural intervention for chronic oro-facial pain. My roles are therefore two-fold: clinical work based in primary care and research based on completion of my NIHR clincian scientist programme to develop a complex intervention. I also provide my epidemiological expertise on a number of projects within the Oral Health Unit which are of relevance to establishing evidenced based practice within primary dental care. I am also actively engaged in non-clinical teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

I am passionate about Global Health and began voluntary service activities as a dental surgeon at the Satya Sai Dental Clinic in Puttaparthi, South India over three 2 week blocks between March 2007 and September 2009. I experienced first hand the extent to which dentistry can improve quality of life and also gained valuable insights into management of populations that are undernourished and immunocompromised. Since then I have been prioritising my efforts in promoting the inclusion of dentistry in Global Health programmes. I have worked closely with disaster and emergency humanitarian assistance agencies like UK-MED and the Humanitarian Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) to develop the role of dentistry in disasters and emergencies. This has led to collaboration with Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya and UK-MED, a non-governmental organisation with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between both parties. There are now huge opportunities for training and knowledge transfer and opportunities to develop exchange programmes.

I also have a keen interest in equality and diversity and currentyl represent the BME staff network at the university. I am also a member of the FMHS equality and diversity committee and at a national level work with nthe Equality Challenge Unit to inform development of a kite mark for race equality.

Undergraduate:

Clinical: Oral Surgery and Restorative dentistry chair side teaching experience (2001-2005). These included up to four clinical teaching sessions per week in clinic and laboratory settings and involved organisation of undergraduate clinical courses, seminars and examinations.

PBL and Critical Appraisal – I undertake PBL sessions for 3^rd year students in Oral Health and development and supervise 4^th year critical appraisal topics for dental students and therapists on a regular basis. One of these has successfully been published in an international journal.

Academic Advisor – my role as a general dental practitioner has proved very useful for 5^th year students who are applying for vocational training positions and need advice regarding selection of appropriate practices within which to work and mock interviews for the same. I am currently academic advisor for 4^th year and 1^st year dental students.

Practice visits – I have co-supervised final year dental students attending Rocky Lane Dental practice. This has involved their induction into general practice and also supervision and facilitation of research audit projects.

Postgraduate:

I moderate and assess postgraduate students in the epidemiology module of the Masters in Public Health programme at the University of Manchester.

I have also lectured vocational dental practitioners and final year dental students on career pathways in dentistry.

I also supervise and act as an advisor for a number of postgraduate students and GDPs at masters and PhD level. The GDPs have been appointed through prestigious NIHR In-practice fellowships.

General Practice:

Acted as convener for clinical audits and peer review projects within general practice – these have been submitted to the primary care trust as continuing professional development activities and one audit / service evaluation has recently been published in a primary care journal.

I have also pioneered skill mixing within Rocky Lane Dental Practice and trained both therapists and nurses to advance their clinical skills. In particular this involved formal training and assessment of dental nurses in fluoride application via Salford Primary Care Trust.