Professor Peter G Robinson BDS, MSc, PhD, FRACDS, FDSRCS, FHEA, FFPH
Professor in Dental Public Health

Academic Unit of Dental Public Health
School of Clinical Dentistry
Claremont Crescent
University of Sheffield
S10 2TA
UK.
Tel: +44 (0) 114 271 7885
Fax: +44 (0) 114 271 7843
email : peter.g.robinson@sheffield.ac.uk
Biography
I joined the University of Sheffield in 2002 as the School of Dentistry´s first Professor of Dental Public Health. Since then we have built our team to comprise five academic staff and have 14 PhD students.
We have embedded much of our dental public health teaching into our Dental Outreach Programme which has received widespread praise.
I now lead the Academic Unit of DPH, the Outreach Programme and am Deputy Dean of the School
Research Interests
My research interests fall into three areas, the measurement of quality of life, children's and young people's oral health and the evaluation of health care.
The measurement quality of life (OHQoL) in oral health related research marks an important move from biomedically dominated perspective to patient-centred approaches. Quality of life is a natural outcome for dental care which is seldom involved in extending or saving life. Whilst we have used oral health related quality of life measures to assess the effectiveness of oral care, interdisciplinary collaboration extends this work to consider the theoretical and methodological foundations of the concept of quality of life and the social psychological factors associated with oral health impacts on quality of life.
Our research on children's and young people's oral health aims to improve the oral health and treatment experiences of children and young people through a combination of clinical and social scientific research strategies that: give children an active voice in relation to their oral health and explore and gain a full understanding of the impact of oral health and dental treatment on their lives.
Our evaluations of health care aim to improve the quality of health services by providing information policy and decision making at national, local and clinical levels. We conduct HSR in a variety of ways including: randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and qualitative evaluations of healthcare interventions, needs assessments and workforce reviews.
Teaching Interests
As Academic Lead for DPH I have oversight of all teaching in my own discipline as well as social and behavioural sciences and ethics.
Our Dental Outreach Programme is unique in that we place students in primary dental care settings where they provide treatment for patients whilst supervised by practitioners. We were given a Senate Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching for this innovative programme.
Professional activities
As well as being Honorary Consultant to NHS Sheffield, I am the Chair of the Oral and Dental Priority Group for South Yorkshire Local Comprehensive Research Network. I am President Elect of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry and Editor of the British Society for Oral and Dental Research.
Current projects
- Living with Oral Conditions (studying the experience of chronic disease using oral disease as a model)
- The experience of dry and sore mouth
Key publications
- Baker SR, Mat A, Robinson PG. What psychosocial factors influence adolescents’ oral health? J Dent Res. 2010 Nov;89(11):1230-5. Epub 2010 Aug 25.
- Durham J, Exley C, Wassell RW, Moufti MA, Robinson PG , Steele J. Patients’ with Temporomandibular Disorders journey through care. In press, Community Dentistry Oral Epidemiology
- Deacon SA, Glenny AM, Deery C, Robinson PG, Heanue M, Walmsley AD, Shaw WC. Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Dec 8;12:CD004971.
- Boiko OV, Baker SR, Gibson BJ, Locker D, Sufi F, Barlow APS, Robinson PG. Construction and Validation of the Quality of Life Measure for Dentine Hypersensitivity (DHEQ). J Clin Periodontol. 2010 Nov;37(11):973-80. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2010.01618.x. Epub 2010 Sep 22.
- Boiko OV, Ward P, Robinson PG, Gibson BJ. Form and semantic of communication in dental encounters: oral health, probability and time. Epublished, Nov 2010. Soc Health Illness
- Nilchian F, Rodd HD, Robinson PG. The success of fissure sealants placed by dentists and DCPs. In Press Community Dental Health.
- Gibson B, Boiko OV, Baker S, Robinson PG, Barlow A, Player T, Locker D. The everyday impact of dentine sensitivity: personal and functional aspects. Social Science and Dentistry 2010;1:11-20.
- Devi MU, Blignaut E, Glick M, Nasir EF, Yengopal V, Younai F, Robinson PG Social aspects of HIV and their relationship to craniofacial problems. In Press J Dent Res.
- Smith M, Lennon MA, Robinson PG. The Sheffield outreach teaching programme. Br Dent J 2010;209:513-520.
- Rodd HD, Barker C, Baker SR, Marshman Z, Robinson PG. Social judgements made by children in relation to visible incisor trauma. Dental Traumatology 2010;26: 2–8;
