Research at manchester Flashcards
Research priorities
improving our understanding of the development and progression of oral and cranio-facial conditions;
creating innovative and effective treatments, service designs, and public health interventions;
testing the costs and effects of interventions to prevent or manage oro-facial conditions;
identifying the means of implementing cost-effective interventions into dental services
dental screening
Resources are being re-allocated to frontline dental services for children who need them most as a result of the study into the National Screening programme, which cost an estimated £17 million a year, according to Department of Health figures in 2010.
The research was carried out between 1999 and 2008 by a team led by Martin Tickle, Professor of Dental Public Health and Primary Care.
The initial trial involved 17,500 children, testing different models of screening in an area of high need in the north-west of England.
The study was the first to evaluate the effectiveness of school dental screening programmes since they were set up in 1918.
It looked at the impact of screening on general dental health and the use of local dental services in an area where access to NHS dental care was freely available.
Research showed the programme was not only ineffective with little impact on dental attendance, but was also likely to increase inequalities.
It showed children from affluent areas had the least amount of tooth decay, while those from the most deprived had the most. Children from the poorest areas were also least likely to complete courses of dental treatment.
The University of Manchester team then carried out a national survey of all dental screening programmes in England and Wales to assess if their conclusions matched the effectiveness of the national screening programme.
Results showed the findings were likely to be representative of the performance of the programme across the country.
As a result, the Department of Health recommended resources be re-directed towards initiatives targeting the most vulnerable groups, including children with disabilities and special learning needs.
School-based prevention programmes have included supervised tooth-brushing, the promotion of fluoride toothpaste, and advice and information for parents.
Oral Health
Dental researchers at The University of Manchester have changed international practice and reduced unnecessary prescriptions for antibiotics by on average of 8,000 per month in England alone.
Professor Helen Worthington and her team examined research findings on whether the administration of antibiotics before dental treatment to patients at risk of bacterial endocarditis (BE) - inflammation of the lining of the heart muscle and its valves caused by bacterial infection - made any difference to patient susceptibility.
Resistance to antibiotics is one of the greatest threats to public health worldwide and unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics can lead to increased resistance, which is of concern to the general population.
Until Professor Worthington’s reviews the use of antibiotics had been an established dental practice and was advised in published guidelines.
Her team conducted two systematic Cochrane reviews: one in 2004 to investigate if the administration of penicillin in patients at risk before dental treatment prevented BE; and an update in 2008, extending the review to all antibiotics.
Both reviews showed that:
there was a lack of evidence to prove that prescribing antibiotics before dental work had any effect on the occurrence of BE;
the potential harms and costs of antibiotic administration outweighed any beneficial effects;
dental practitioners needed to advise patients on the risks and benefits of taking antibiotics before a decision is made.
As a result of this research, NICE guidelines were changed in 2008 and there has been a 78.6% drop in prescribing rates of antibiotics for dental patients in England. This has subsequently saved the NHS over £220,000 per year.
Gene identification
The University of Manchester has an exceptional record in identifying genes linked to rare diseases. In the UK, as many as three million individuals are affected by a rare disease.
Gene identification
The University of Manchester has an exceptional record in identifying genes linked to rare diseases. In the UK, as many as three million individuals are affected by a rare disease.
Researchers at Manchester* identified the molecular basis for 29 rare disease genes between 1993 and 2013.
They located disease genes through a combination of patient recruitment, expert clinical selection and detailed phenotyping, allied to state-of-the-art genetic techniques.
As a result of their research there is now:
clinical diagnostic testing for patients and their families, which means a reduced diagnostic burden for patients and health services;
better, more effective counselling on offer for patients and their families;
a prenatal testing service available to parents, when considered relevant and appropriate, to help them make informed choices.
Testing for genes identified at The University of Manchester is now offered in over 140 laboratories in more than 30 countries worldwide. In UK NHS laboratories alone, over 1,100 patients have been tested for five rare diseases.
The rare 29 genes identified at Manchester are linked to disorders such as:
Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (SAMHD1 gene, which affects the brain, immune system and skin);
Waardenburg syndrome (PAX3 and MITF genes, which can cause hearing loss and changes in hair, skin and eye colouring);
Treacher Collins syndrome (TCOF1 gene, which affects the development of bones and other facial tissues);
3M syndrome (OBSL1 and CCDC8 genes, which cause dwarfism, unusual facial features and skeletal abnormalities).
Research groups
craniofacial genetics
craniofacial development
stem cell biology
adhesive biomaterials and biomechanics/biomaterials science.
