Dr Easter Joury, DDS, PG Dip, MSc, PhD, Dip MFDS RCPS(Glasgow), FHEA

Profile

1999 Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Damascus University, 3rd top Graduate. 2001 Postgraduate Diploma in Orthodontics, Damascus University, 1st top Postgraduate. 2003 MSc in Dental Public Health, Queen Mary University of London, Awarded Distinction. 2007 PhD in Oral Epidemiology, Queen Mary University of London. 2010 Postgraduate Certificate in Principles of Modern Healthcare Education. 2015 Diploma of Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery MFDS RCPS (Glasgow). 2016 Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

I graduated as a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Damascus University with Distinction (the 3rd top graduate). After completing my specialty training in Orthodontics (1st top postgraduate in Orthodontics), I won a scholarship to study for an MSc in Dental Public Health in the UK (awarded Distinction), followed by another scholarship to obtain my PhD in Oral Epidemiology. In 2008, I was appointed as an Assistant Professor at Damascus University, leading and modernising under- and postgraduate courses and modules in Dental Public Health, Biostatistics and Oral Epidemiology, Evidence-based Dentistry and Research Methods. I founded and led ‘Syrian Smiles’ which is a collection of outreach community-based learning activities to deliver preventative and curative care to children in special care centres, residents in care homes and displaced people in shelters. This dental education modernisation, innovation and success received praise and recognition nationally and internationally.

I was one of the Higher Education Reform Experts funded by the European Union and a speaker/trainer for a number of international organisations such as the World Health Organisation. When I returned to the UK in 2013, I continued my academic journey at Queen Mary University of London, King’s College London, and University of West London, being active in research and teaching. I led and delivered Dental Public Health and Research Methods courses and modules at post- and undergraduate levels, receiving excellent feedback on the enhancement of student experience and education.

I became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Member of the Faculty of Dental Surgery MFDS RCPS. I won seed grants as Co-investigator and a number of awards from the IADR and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. I presented and published research papers in highly visible conferences and high impact peer-reviewed journals.

Currently, I am an NIHR Clinical Lecturer and Speciality Registrar in Dental Public Health at Queen Mary University of London, working with the Dental Public Health National Team and East of England Public Health England. On the research side, I am leading funded research projects and Patient & Public Involvement activities in Mental Health and Oral Health; and on the teaching side, I am leading the Postgraduate Distance Learning Module in Evidence Based Dentistry. For the service side, I am leading and supporting a number of oral health improvement, health protection, healthcare public health and epidemiological projects, particularly in urgent dental care and reducing oral health inequalities.

Centre: Dental Public Health and Primary Care

Teaching

I am leading the Evidence Based Dentistry Module, which is part of the Dental Public Health, Policy and Leadership online MSc programme at QMUL. I am involved in supervising, teaching and mentoring postgraduate and undergraduate dental students. I also mentor young people in deprived communities through different local youth programmes e.g. Think It Possible.

Research

Research Interests:

My research interest lies in the relationship between Mental Health and Oral Health and their links to social inequalities. I started my research journey with looking at the role of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors (such as employment, education, stress, resiliency and social support) in oral health and treatment outcome. Now, I am examining the other direction of this relationship by looking at the role of oral health and dental treatment in the recovery from mental illness and reducing associated social inequalities.

I was awarded two seed grants as a PI to support my current research work and Patient & Public Involvement activities that I am undertaking with different service users, mental health charities and other stakeholders across the system. The Crispian Scully Research Award granted by the Oral and Dental Research Trust (ODRT) is supporting my work on “Exploring needs and setting patient-centred research priorities in oral health and dental care utilisation for young adults with depression”. The CL small grant awarded by QMUL is funding my “MOOD Study”, which is about exploring Multilevel barriers and facilitators Of Oral and Dental care untilisation amongst young adults with depression. My research team is multidisciplinary with experts in Dentistry, Public Health, Psychiatry and Psychology.

Publications

1. Nakhleh K, Joury E*, Dean R, Marcenes W, Johal A. Can socioeconomic and psychosocial factors predict the duration of orthodontic treatment? Eur J Orthod. 2020 Jun 23;42(3):263-269. doi: 10.1093/ejo/cjz074.
2. Joury E*. Syria Profile of the Epidemiology and Management of Early Childhood Caries Before and During the Time of Crisis. Front Public Health. 2019 Sep 24;7:271. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00271.
3. Joury E*, Bernabe E, Gallagher JE, Marcenes W. Burden of orofacial pain in a socially deprived and culturally diverse area of the United Kingdom. Pain. 2018 Jul;159(7):1235-1243. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001203.
4. Joury E*, Bernabe E, Sabbah W, Nakhleh K, Gurusamy K. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials on the effectiveness of school-based dental screening versus no screening on improving oral health in children. J Dent. 2017 Mar;58:1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2016.11.008. Epub 2016 Nov 22.
5. Joury E*, Marcenes W, Johal A. The role of psychosocial factors in predicting orthodontic treatment outcome at the end of 1 year of active treatment. Eur J Orthod. 2013 Apr;35(2):205-15. doi: 10.1093/ejo/cjr111.

All publications