Fellow's Profile
Robert Witton
Fellow's Profile
Robert Witton
Improving the oral health of the ageing population
Fellowship
- Themes
- Focus
-
Improving oral health for older people
- Countries
- Fellowship year
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2026
- Locality
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South West
Contact
Biography
I am a professor in community dentistry at the University of Plymouth and a consultant in dental public health working in the healthcare system. I have a professional interest in community oral health and improving outcomes for disadvantaged groups.
My Fellowship focuses on older people, and I will be exploring how Japan supports oral health in a population with the greatest longevity in the world. This will span policy, education of dental students and qualified dental professionals, and delivery of oral healthcare services in the community. I am particularly interested to learn how the Ministry of Health works with the dental profession, local authorities and communities to deliver its 80/20 policy, which aims for all 80-year-olds to maintain a functional dentition of 20 teeth.
My motivation for this stems from the lack of a coherent England strategy for addressing oral healthcare needs in the older population. Sadly, poor oral health is common in older adults, which can lead to chronic pain, difficulty eating, and potential nutritional deficiencies. Poor oral health is also linked to serious systemic health conditions such as aspiration pneumonia and heart disease.
Disclaimer
All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.
Disclaimer
All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.
