The University of Sheffield
The School of Clinical Dentistry

Dr Sarah R Baker [BSc (Hons) Psychology, PhD, C.Psychol., AFBPsS]

Unit of Dental Public HealthSarah Baker
School of Clinical Dentistry,
Claremont Crescent,
University of Sheffield,
S10 2TA,
UK.

Tel: +44 (0) 114 271 7837
Fax: +44 (0) 114 271 7843

email : s.r.baker@sheffield.ac.uk

PhD Studentship for May 2013 Open

For full details of the project click here and for more details about the Studentship click here.

Biography

I am a Reader in Psychology and HPC registered Health Psychologist who joined the School in 2005. I lead the Person-centred and Population Oral Health Research Group (PAPOR), which adopts a unique interdisciplinary approach to studying oral health that integrates social and behavioural sciences with clinical specialities.

I am currently involved in a number of collaborative projects which apply psychological theories, methods and techniques to address key questions within the field of oral health and dentistry.

Research Interests

My research interests revolve around two main themes: 

1. Psychological adjustment to oral health conditions and their treatment

My principal research interest relates to the psychological and social factors which influence how people cope with chronic oral health conditions and their treatment. Such conditions include cleft lip and palate, oral cancer, orthognathic conditions, xerostomia, periodontal disease and edentulousness. This programme of work investigates the psychosocial factors which influence individual’s experiences of their oral health and the impact on well-being and quality of life. Understanding the role of such factors – sense of coherence, self esteem, social support networks, coping strategies, stress and resilience – allows us to explore potential mechanisms by which oral health impacts on individual’s daily lives and, in turn, develop intervention strategies that have the potential to improve health and well-being. Two recent projects have explored the determinants and consequences of oral health related quality of life in children and were funded by Royal Thai Government Studentships (2005-2011). A further series of projects have investigated the everyday experience of living with dentine hypersensitivity and dry mouth and were funded by GlaxoSmithKline (2008-13).

Further work with colleagues in the Childhood and Youth Oral Health Group have investigated the impact of oro-facial conditions on children and young adults. One project funded by the Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust (2006-8) explored the impact of oro-facial conditions on children as they make the transition to secondary school, and the role of self esteem and coping strategies in facilitating children’s adjustment. A second project investigated the impact of dental trauma on families and young children and the psychosocial and clinical factors which influence adjustment to trauma and its treatment (University of Sheffield Studentship, 2007-2010). Further research, in collaboration with the Psychology Department, University of Sheffield has explored cultural issues associated with surgery for orthognathic conditions and was funded by an ESRC Case Award in collaboration with Sheffield Health and Social Research Consortium (2006-2011).

One of the group’s new areas of research is in developing decision aids to help children and young people choose what is right for them in relation to dental treatment. One new project in this area funded by the Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in dentistry (SAAD) is to develop a decision aid in paediatric dental sedation (2012-2015).

2. Development and evaluation of person-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in dentistry

The inclusion of person-reported outcome measures in research and clinical practice is relatively recent in dentistry, and marks a shift to a more biopsychosocial, person-centred approach. The PAPOR group in the School is at the forefront of research in the development and evaluation of PROMs in dentistry in the UK and internationally. We have developed and evaluated a condition-specific oral health quality of life (OHQoL) measure for assessing the impact of dentine hypersensitivity and changes in response to treatment (the Dentine Hypersensitivity Experience Questionnaire – DHEQ). This work was funded by Glaxosmithkline Consumer Healthcare Division (2008-2013). A similar OHQoL measure is being developed for assessing the impact of dry mouth on people’s experiences in daily life (Dry Mouth Inventory – DMI), also funded by Glaxosmithkline (2010-11).

Alongside this development work, my research involves a critical examination of the conceptual foundations of oral health quality of life concepts, together with methodological and statistical approaches within the OHQoL field. Much of this research involves modelling the biopsychosocial determinants of oral health and well-being through secondary analyses of existing datasets using structural equation modelling. I am at the forefront of applying this technique in oral health research, with a number of research articles in Journal of Dental Research, Journal of Clinical Periodontology and Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology.

Teaching Interests

I currently have responsibility for the development, teaching and assessment of communication skills within the Bachelor of Dental Surgery undergraduate curriculum. I am also involved in teaching and dissertation supervision on the Masters in Dental Public Health (MDPH) programme, particularly the Research Methods in Clinical Dentistry module.

Professional activities

I am group lead for Person-centred and Population Oral Health Research (PAPOR) one of three research groups within the School of Dentistry. The group is an interdisciplinary team of academics and researchers from psychology, sociology, dental public health, social policy, orthodontics and paediatric dentistry.

I am currently President-Elect and member of the Executive Committee for the Behavioural, Epidemiologic and Health Services Research Group of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR).

I am Associate Editor and member of the editorial board for the journal Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology (2010-2014) and Section Editor for Behavioural Sciences for the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal (2009- ongoing). I also actively review for a number of journals in Psychology, Dentistry and Health including Social Science and Medicine, Personality and Individual Differences, International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, Quality of Life Research, Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Journal of Orthodontics and British Journal of Health Psychology.

I am a panel member of the Health Research Board of Ireland’s Collaborative Applied Research Grants in Population Health and Health Services Research (2012).

I am currently External Examiner at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry for the Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Part 2 Communication Skills, Human Science and Law and Ethics (2010-ongoing).

I am an Approved Stage 2 supervisor for the Chartership in Health Psychology qualification with the British Psychological Society, and currently have one Stage 2 Trainee, Jenny Porritt.

Current funding

Baker SR, Robinson PG, Gibson BJ. Living with oral conditions. GlaxoSmithKline. 2010-2013.

Rodd H, Baker SR, Marshman Z. Patient decision aids for anxious children. Society for the advancement of anaesthesia in dentistry (SAAD). 2012-2015.

Publications 

I have over 100 referred publications in dentistry, psychology, quality of life and health fields. Selected publications since 2006 include:

2013

Nammontri O, Robinson PG, Baker SR (2013). Enhancing Oral Health via Sense of Coherence : A Cluster-randomized Trial. Journal of Dental Research, 92:26-31

Baker SR. (2013). Applying Health Psychology to Dentistry: 'People, Not Teeth'. In Forshaw M and Sheffield D. Health Psychology in Action. Wiley-Blackwell: West Sussex, UK.

2012

Marshman Z, Porritt J, Dyer T, Wyborn C, Godson J, Baker S (2012). What influences the use of dental services by adults in the UK? Community Dentistry Oral Epidemiology, 40: 306-314.

Jönsson B, Baker SR, Lindberg P, Oscarson N, Öhrn K (2012). Factors influencing oral hygiene behaviour and gingival outcomes 3- and 12-months after initial periodontal treatment: an exploratory test of a Theory of Reasoned Action. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 39: 138–144.

Rodd HD, Marshman Z, Porritt J, Bradbury J, Baker SR. (2012). Psychosocial predictors of children's oral health-related quality of life during transition to secondary school. Quality of Life Research; 21: 707-716.

2011

Porritt J, Rodd H, Baker SR. (2011). Quality of life impacts following childhood dento-alveolar trauma. Dental Traumatology, 27: 2-9.

Rodd HD, Marshman Z, Porritt J, Bradbury J, Baker SR. (2011). Oral health-related quality of life of children in relation to dental appearance and educational transition. British Dental Journal 211: E4

2010

Baker SR, Mat A, Robinson PG. (2010). What psychosocial factors influence adolescents’ oral health? Journal Dental Research, 89: 1230-35.

Patel A, Rodd H, Baker S, Marshman Z, Benson P, Robinson PG. (2010). Are social judgements made by children in relation to orthodontic appliances? Journal of Orthodontics, 37: 93-9.

Rodd HD, Barker C, Baker SR, Marshman Z, Robinson PG. (2010). Social judgements made by children in relation to visible incisor trauma. Dental Traumatology, 26, 2-8.

Brocklehurst PR, Baker SR, Speight PM. (2010). Oral cancer screening: what have we learnt and what is there still to achieve? Future Oncology, 6, 299-304.

Baker S R. (2010). Socio-economic position and oral health: distal and proximal indicators. Social Science and Dentistry, 1, 5-10.

Gibson B, Boiko O V, Baker S, Robinson P G, Barlow A, Player T, Locker D. (2010). The everyday impact of dentine sensitivity: personal and functional aspects. Social Science and Dentistry, 1, 11-20.

Brocklehurst P R, Baker S R, Speight P M. (2010). A qualitative study examining the experience of primary care dentists in the detection and management of pre-malignant disease. 1. Factors influencing the screen and the decision to refer. British Dental Journal, 208, E3.

Brocklehurst P R, Baker S R, Speight P M. (2010). A qualitative study examining the experience of primary care dentists in the detection and management of pre-malignant disease. 2. Mechanisms of referral and patient communication. British Dental Journal, 208, E4.

2009

Baker S R. (2009). Applying Andersen’s behavioural model to oral health: What are the contextual factors shaping oral health outcomes? Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 37, 485-494.

Baker, S. R., Owens, J., Stern, M., Willmot, D. (2009). Coping strategies and social support in the family impact of cleft lip and palate and parent’s adjustment and psychological distress. Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, 46: 229-36.

Marshman Z, Baker S R, Bradbury J, Hall M J, Rodd H D. (2009). The impact of oral conditions during transition to secondary education. European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 10, 176-180.

2008

Baker, S. R., Gibson, B., Locker, D. (2008). Is the Oral Health Impact Profile measuring up? Investigating the scale's construct validity using structural equation modelling. Community Dentistry Oral Epidemiology, 36, 532-541

Baker, S.R., Pearson, N.K., Robinson, P.G. (2008). Testing the applicability of a conceptual model of oral health in housebound edentulous older people. Community Dentistry Oral Epidemiology, 36, 237-48.

2007

Marshman, Z, Gibson, B, Owen, J, Rodd, H, Mazey, H, Baker, S. R., Benson, P., Robinson, P. G. (2007). Child dental research in 21st century: seen and heard? International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 17, 320-327.

Baker, S. R. (2007). Testing a conceptual model of oral health: a structural equation modelling approach. Journal of Dental Research, 86, 708-712.

Baker, S. R. (2007). Dispositional optimism and health status, symptoms and behaviours: Assessing idiothetic relationships using a prospective daily diary approach. Psychology and Health, 22, 431-455.

Baker, S. R., Pankhurst, C. L, Robinson, P. G. (2007). Testing relationships between clinical and non-clinical variables in xerostomia: A structural equation model of oral health-related quality of life. Quality of Life Research, 16, 297-308.

2006

Baker, S. R., Pankhurst, C. L., Robinson, P. G. (2006). Utility of two oral health-related quality of life measures in xerostomia. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 34, 351-362.

Baker, S. R. (2006). Toward an idiothetic understanding of the role of social problem solving in daily event, mood and health experiences: A prospective daily diary approach. British Journal of Health Psychology, 11, 513-531.

Current PhD students

Recently completed PhD students