Dr Radhika Desai, BDS, Dip, MClinDent, PhD, FHEA, MFDS RCSEd

Profile

Radhika qualified as a dentist in 2006 from Dr. D.Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, India. Following her undergraduate degree, she worked as an associate dentist at a private practice in Mumbai, for 3 years. During this time, in 2007, she completed her post-graduate Diploma in Aesthetic Dentistry from the School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA. In 2010, Radhika came to the UK to pursue her further studies and in 2012, she completed her MClinDent in Restorative Dentistry from the Newcastle Dental School, Newcastle University. Her MClinDent research project assessed the quality of life in patients with periodontitis. In May 2012, Radhika was the first post-graduate dental student to be awarded the Newcastle University Overseas Research Scholarship from Newcastle University, to pursue her PhD in Periodontology, which she started in 2013. She was awarded her PhD degree in 2017, for her thesis titled, “Inflammatory mechanisms associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus and oral diseases.”

Following her post-graduate studies, in 2017, Radhika was appointed as a Clinical Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry (full-time) at the University of Bristol Dental School. During her time at Bristol, she completed her PG Cert in Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals from University of Bristol and achieved the Diploma of Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Radhika considerably expanded in her teaching and leading roles and responsibilities since commencing her post at Bristol Dental School. Over the years, her main leadership roles included being the Operational Lead for the Restorative Dentistry department, Co-clinical year lead for BDS5, Clinical year lead for BDS1, lead for BDS1 Preparing for Patients course, module lead for BDS2 Periodontology course and Introduction to Clinic Management and Team Working course. Radhika has also been involved in post-graduate teaching and supervision. She has undertaken the role and duties of an internal examiner for the MSc by Research and PhD in Periodontology, at the University of Bristol. During her last 3 years as a Clinical Lecturer at Bristol, Radhika was recognised for her contribution to undergraduate student teaching. She was nominated for the University of Bristol’s - Bristol Teaching Awards in the award category, Outstanding Personal Tutoring Award and the Inspiring and Innovative Teaching Award – Individual. Radhika has undertaken several audit projects related to patient care on the undergraduate dental clinics. In 2022, she was awarded the Gold Star Award from the Clinical Audit Group of the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust for her project titled, “Re-audit of Local Anaesthesia Administration”. Following her Clinical Lecturer post, Radhika is currently appointed as an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol Dental School.

Radhika has more than 7 years of teaching experience in both undergraduate and post-graduate dentistry. In August 2023, Radhika was appointed as a Senior Clinical Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry (full-time) at the Institute of Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London, and she is currently the year lead for BDS3. 

Teaching

• Year lead for BDS3 2023/24.
• Academic advisor for BDS5 2023/24.

Research

Publications

1. Desai, R., Durham, J., Wassell, R. W., & Preshaw, P. M. (2014). Does the mode of administration of the Oral Health Impact Profile-49 affect the outcome score?.Journal of dentistry, 42(1), 84–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2013.10.016
2. Desai, R., Khobaragade, B., McCracken, G., Wassall, R., Taylor, J. J., Bissett, S. M., Pumerantz, A. S., & Preshaw, P. M. (2021). Impact of diabetes and periodontal status on life quality. BDJ open, 7(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41405-021-00061-w