Dr Rachael Jablonski

Profile

Clinical academic training:

I am an NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) Academic Clinical Lecturer and Specialty Registrar in Restorative Dentistry at the Leeds School of Dentistry and Leeds Dental Institute. I am in my latter stages of specialty training in Restorative Dentistry, which provides broad-based training across prosthodontics, endodontics, and periodontics with a particular focus on the multidisciplinary management of patients with head and neck cancer, developmental conditions, and oral/facial trauma.

Research experience:

As a previous NIHR Doctoral Fellow, I led a translational PhD project that explored the patient and healthcare impact of digital innovations in maxillofacial prosthetics. My work comprised a range of research methodologies including laboratory-based research, a multicentre feasibility trial, qualitative research, and early health economic modelling. I enjoyed collaborating with a range of stakeholders including patients and the public, clinicians and scientists from multi-professional backgrounds, and creative arts and design professionals. The final stage of the project involved the co-production of an arts-science public engagement project to share the lived experience of people who wear facial prosthesis, bring research findings out into the wider community, and highlight the valuable contributions patients make to research and public engagement. This research has led to various prizes including the 2024 BSSPD Schottlander Prize and 2024 IADR Women in Science Promising Talent Award.

Leadership roles:

During my training, I have completed a secondment as a Health Education England (Yorkshire and Humber) Leadership Fellow. This provided opportunities to work with the Digital Dentistry Team at the Leeds School of Dentistry to develop clinical simulation based teaching methods and also with the postgraduate dental training distribution development group of the national Advancing Dental Care project. I have held a variety of committee roles in clinical, academic, and educational contexts including involvement with the RCSEd Dental Council, MFDS Advisory Board and Specialty Registrars in Restorative Dentistry Group Council.

Qualifications:

• PhD (Letter of Research Excellence), University of Leeds, 2024
• Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership for the Health Professions (Distinction), Swansea University, 2021
• Postgraduate Diploma in Health Research (Distinction), University of Leeds, 2018   
• Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Education (Merit), Sheffield Hallam University, 2015   
• Diploma of Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (John Smith Medal), RCSEd, 2014
• Bachelor of Dental Surgery (5 Distinctions and BDA Prize in Oral Pathology), University of Sheffield, 2012   

Research and Public Engagement Funding:

• Research England’s Enhancing Research Culture Open Call 2023-24, 2023-2024.
• Research England’s Enhancing Research Culture Open Call 2022-23, 2022-2023.
• Restorative Dentistry UK (RD-UK) Travel Fellowship, 2020-2022.
• University of Leeds Engagement Fellowship, Engagement Excellence Scheme, 2019-2021.
• Leeds Hospitals Charity Research and Innovation Funding, ULXXO.A200515, 2020 - 2021.
• NIHR Doctoral Fellowship, NIHR300235, 2019-2019.
• NIHR Research Design Service Public Involvement in Grant Applications Funding Award, 2017-2018.
• Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) Small Pump Priming Grant, 2016-2017.