Aradhna Tugnait

Profile

Primary research theme: Dental Education Research and Scholarship

Secondary research theme: Clinical and Applied 

Aradhna Tugnait gained her BChD in 1987 and an MDentSci in restorative dentistry (distinction) in 1993 at the University of Leeds. She gained an FDS RCS from Edinburgh in 1997 and completed her PhD at the University of Leeds in 2002. Following graduation she worked in General Dental Practice for 8 years in Essex and Yorkshire. She then worked as a Clinical Demonstrator in Manchester Dental School and took up the post of Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry at the University of Leeds School of Dentistry in 1995.

She has an interest in the use of radiographs in periodontal diagnosis and has written the ‘Periodontal Section’ for the 3rd Edition of the FGDP Selection Criteria for Dental Radiography published in 2013. She has also spoken at National Conferences (British Society of Periodontology and British Society of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology), has refereed papers for Journal of Dentistry, Dental Update, European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry, European Journal of Dental Education and refereed grant applications for NIHR.

Aradhna Tugnait has been awarded NHS Research and Development funding in primary dental care for work on use of radiographs in primary care. She has 19 papers in referred journals, is currently supervising a PhD student and has co-written two textbooks on periodontology.

Periodontology Research Areas

Radiographs in periodontal disease

Periodontal microflora

Restoration of root caries

Funding

Leeds Teaching Hospitals Charitable Trust 2013-14 (Co-I) Investigating human host-microbiome interactions in periodontitis £31k

Colgate-Palmolive (Co-I) 2010-11 Resident oral bacteria with homeostatic potential and their roles in health and disease £164k

Research Degree Supervision

Alkahtani Z (D.Clin.Dent) Gingival and periodontal disease in children and adolescents with and without dental caries

Teaching Areas

Periodontology and developing clinical and academic assessment

Professional Activities

Member of Curriculum Enhancement Project Group

Chair of Teachers' Section and Council Member of the British Society of Periodontology

Member of School of Dentistry School Taught Student Education Committee; Education Associate for the General Dental Council.

Responsibilities

  • Associate Director of Student Education (Student Support)

Research interests

Periodontal disease and systemic disease, Radiographs in diagnosis and management of periodontal disease, teaching of communication skills and reflection

Qualifications

  • BChD
  • MDentSci
  • FDS RCS (Ed)
  • PhD

Professional memberships

  • General Dental Council
  • British Society of Perodontology

Student education

I am Associate Director of Student Education for Student Support in the School of Dentistry. I manage a dedicated team of advisors providing pastoral and study skills support throughout the student journey.I teach across the 5 years of the dental undergraduate programme.

Research groups and institutes

  • Microbiology and cell biology

Current postgraduate researchers

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>