About

Bathsheba Turton is an Assistant Professor of General Dentistry at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. She holds a PhD in Dental Public Health from the University of Melbourne (Australia), obtained in 2019, a Master of Community Dentistry (MComDent) in Dental Public Health from the University of Otago (New Zealand) in 2013, and a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from the University of Otago (New Zealand) in 2008. Her academic and professional background is rooted in dental public health, with a focus on community and population health aspects of dentistry. She is affiliated with the Global & Population Health offices at the dental school, contributing to the school's mission of providing state-of-the-art dental care and education. Her work emphasizes preventive and restorative dentistry, supporting the training of future dental professionals and advancing research in dental public health.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Dentistry
• Gerontology
• Nursing
• Environmental health
• Economic growth
• Socioeconomics
• Chemistry
• Geography
• Inorganic chemistry
• Family medicine
• Psychiatry
• Internal medicine
• Pathology
• Surgery

Selected publications

• Oral Health‐Related Quality of Life of Western Australian Refugee Children With Childhood Caries

  Australian Dental Journal · 2026-02-22

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVES: Dental caries remains the most common chronic childhood condition and in Australia persists as a leading cause of potentially preventable hospitalisation. Despite various public health initiatives and improvements in oral health among the wider community, significant disparities exist among refugee families due to the unique challenges they face. Beyond the effects on a tooth level, dental caries profoundly influences a child's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) which encompasses the physical, psychological and social impacts oral health has on daily life, an area that is often overlooked. This study explores the OHRQoL of Western Australian refugee children who experience childhood caries. METHODS: This nested study was conducted within a larger randomised controlled trial (ACTRN12616000456459) investigating caries arrest in newly resettled refugee children. Participants were recruited from the tertiary paediatric Refugee Health Service (RHS), where demographic information, clinical dental examination findings and OHRQoL data were collected using the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). Non-parametric methods were employed to assess differences in total and domain-specific ECOHIS scores across stratification groups, including caries burden, caries depth, age and geographical region. RESULTS: A total of 223 children were included with a mean age of 4.6 years. Approximately, 65% of the children had high caries burden (> 5 affected teeth), and 160 out of 223 (72%) had frank dentine lesions. The mean (SD) total ECOHIS score was 6.52 (6.68). Parental distress had the highest mean score among the ECOHIS domains (1.79), while the symptoms domain score was unexpectedly low (0.96), despite participants experiencing severe and extensive caries. CONCLUSION: Refugee children experience a high burden of caries, yet reported symptoms were low, suggesting under recognition of oral pain. Conversely, high parental distress scores reveal the significant psychological impact on families. These findings highlight the need for early, culturally appropriate dental care within a family-centred model of care.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Global oral health course in Cambodia for UK dental students

  Community dental health · 2025-07-12 · 1 citations

  articleCorresponding

  Dental students from high-income countries (HIC) engage in volunteer opportunities in a way that reinforces harmful perceptions of saviourism and poverty. This undermines the goal of bringing dentists into the profession with a deep understanding of global health and disease. This paper presents a 2-week course that provided dental students from HIC with practical experience in global oral health service delivery. The course involved four UK dental students participating in a 2-week course run by the University of Puthisastra in Cambodia. Students undertook skills training and competency testing and provided care alongside Cambodian dental personnel in routine mobile dental clinics. They also observed the practices of local dentists in their private clinics, participated in workshops on social determinants of health and systems thinking, and visited local marketplaces to contextualise their learning. The visiting students were exposed to global health concepts and developed skills in oral health service delivery in non-conventional settings. By working with a large number of patients and gained both organisational and clinical skills. The program received positive feedback. Adjusting workshop timing and length, along with pre-learning through online courses, can improve the content and depth of the course.

  PublisherDOI

• The Global Consortium of Oral Health Birth Cohort Studies—GLOBICS

  Journal of Dental Research · 2025-03-14 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  This article highlights the transformative initiatives of the Global Consortium of Oral Health Birth Cohort Studies (GLOBICS) as a key response to the call for a global overhaul of the oral health agenda. Recognizing the critical role of birth cohort studies in public health, particularly in understanding the interplay between oral health, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and social inequalities, GLOBICS is spearheading efforts that are research driven and focused on translational pathways. GLOBICS is advancing an International Research Agenda with 8 key priorities aimed at addressing the most pressing questions in oral health research. These priorities shall guide pooled analyses from oral health birth cohort studies (OHBCS) spread across the globe, enabling the consortium to generate robust evidence answering core research questions. One of the major efforts of GLOBICS is data harmonization, which involves standardizing and integrating data from multiple sources to ensure consistency and comparability. This process is vital for generating reliable global insights and fostering collaborations with new research partners. GLOBICS also emphasizes the nurturing of the next generation of OHBCS researchers, ensuring that the field continues to grow and innovate. The consortium's commitment to disseminating and translating its findings is central to its mission. By supporting the development of clinical practice guidelines, policies, and public health information tailored to the specific contexts of its collaborators, GLOBICS is making strides toward tangible improvements in global oral health. This work is a testament to the power of collaborative research and an invitation for further contributions to this global effort.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Estimation of Oral Disease Burden among Older Adults in LTC: A Scoping Review

  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2024 · 10 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Medicine
  • Gerontology
  • Dentistry

  Oral health is an essential part of healthy aging and very little data exists around the disease burden for older adults in a long-term care setting. The aim of this scoping review was to estimate the disease burden of dental caries, periodontal disease, and tooth loss among older adults in Long-Term Care (LTC). This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A detailed strategy was used to conduct a comprehensive search of electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, and Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source (DOSS). The Rayyan AI platform was used to screen abstracts for assessment by one of five co-investigators. Results indicate that only one in three might have a functional dentition upon entry into LTC, and among those who are dentate, most might expect to develop at least one new coronal and one new root caries lesion each year. There is a need to better document the disease experiences of this group to tailor approaches to care that might reduce the avoidable suffering as a result of dental caries and periodontal disease.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Foods of Low Nutritional Value, and Child Undernutrition in Cambodia

  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2024-02-01 · 6 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Child undernutrition persists in Cambodia despite recent progress. As Cambodia undergoes a shift in dietary consumption that coincides with economic, demographic, and epidemiologic changes, there is risk of ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages displacing nutrient-dense foods during the critical period of infant growth in the first 24 months. The aim of this study was to assess the introduction and intake of foods of low nutritional value and sugar-sweetened beverages and their association with undernutrition among children 24 months of age in rural and semi-urban Cambodia. Cross-sectional analyses of a 24-h dietary recall from a sample (n = 377) of 24-month-olds found that the majority of infants had been introduced to packaged salty snacks and sweets by 12 months of age and to sugar-sweetened beverages by 15 months. By 24 months of age, 78% of children had consumed foods of low nutritional value and 57% consumed a sugar-sweetened beverage on the previous day. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that infant intake of a flavored sugary drink on the previous day was associated with over two times the odds of both stunting and wasting, and consumption of packaged sweets on the previous day was associated with over two times the odds of wasting, but no association was found with stunting. These findings underscore the need to improve educational and policy interventions to support healthy feeding practices for infants and young children.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Pocket money and the risk of dental caries and oral pain in children

  Journal of Medicine Surgery and Public Health · 2024-04-18 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Tooth decay affects 40% to 90% of children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), contributing to adverse consequences, including oral pain, difficulty focusing in school, lifelong dental problems, and overall lower quality of life. Few studies have examined the relationship between pocket money given to children, their purchase of sugary snacks and drinks with that money, and the risk for tooth decay. This secondary cross-sectional analysis utilized data which were collected in 2014 as part of an oral health promotion program in rural El Salvador. A convenience sample of 279 children and their mothers who participated in the program were recruited to complete an interview with trained community health workers, and children received a dental examination from trained and licensed Salvadoran and U.S. dentists. Only children with teeth (primary, mixed, or permanent dentition) were included in this analysis; as such, children ranged in age from 6 months through 14 years. Descriptive, multivariate logistic regression, and Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial analyses were used to identify associations between pocket money given to children and three oral health outcomes: number of decayed, missing/extracted due to decay, and filled teeth (dmft for primary teeth and DMFT for permanent teeth); presence of deep decay; and occurrence of oral pain. Overall, almost two-thirds of children received daily pocket money with which over 70% purchased unhealthy snacks/drinks; 83% of children had tooth decay, with a mean dmft/DMFT of 6.0. After adjusting for covariates, receiving pocket money was associated with 0.18 (95% CI: 0.05-0.54) times the odds of having zero-dmft/DMFT (i.e., being cavity-free) (p = 0.002). Among children with at least one decayed tooth, receiving pocket money was associated with 1.22 (95% CI: 1.01-1.53) times the expected dmft/DMFT count (p = 0.04), 3.39 (95% CI: 1.59-7.22) times the odds of deep decay (p <0.001), and 2.66 (95% CI: 1.24-5.70) times the odds of oral pain (p = 0.007) compared to children who did not receive pocket money. Interventions to reduce the prevalence and severity of tooth decay should include nutrition and oral health education for children and families—including addressing pocket money and healthy vs. unhealthy purchases—in schools, communities, and primary health clinics; school programs to provide healthy foods and beverages for children; and enforcement of policies to prohibit the sale of ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks in and around schools.

  PublisherDOI

• System Dynamics Modeling of Caries Severity States in Long-Term Care

  Journal of Dental Research · 2024-11-21 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st author

  Dental caries among long-term care (LTC) residents is a persistent and complex problem driven by social and structural factors. Systems thinking may be useful in considering novel approaches to reducing disease. This study aimed to develop a system dynamics model to simulate the progression of dentate older adults in LTC through caries severity states and estimate the effects of 3 intervention scenarios on the progression of caries: preventive topical fluoride (TF), arrest of caries with silver diamine fluoride (SDF), and a combination of TF and SDF. Dentate older adults in LTC were categorized into 4 caries severity states by their number of untreated carious lesions. The model assumed that changes in severity states were consistent with incidence rates reported in the literature and available billing data for dental care and that individuals move in and out of the system by entering and exiting the facility or experiencing edentulism. For all scenarios, the proportion of dentate older adults in LTC with 1 or more untreated lesions stays stable, the distribution of disease shifts from a high severity state, and the system approaches equilibrium after 4 y. The TF intervention predicts minimal impacts on decreasing the proportion of dentate older adults with 1 or more untreated lesions (2.5% decrease), while the SDF intervention and the combination interventions were most disruptive. There was a 29.6% and 33.6% decrease, respectively. Given the specific population dynamics in LTC, these findings suggest that long-term (greater than 4 y) interventions should be designed to address both the management of existing lesions and their incidence. This system dynamics model allows researchers to render institution-specific data points from LTCs to estimate the effects of proposed interventions at the respective site.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Perspectives of patients, dental professionals, and stakeholders on the use of silver diamine fluoride for the management of dental caries: A qualitative systematic review

  Journal of Dentistry · 2024-06-19 · 6 citations

  reviewOpen access

  OBJECTIVES: This qualitative systematic review and meta-aggregation aimed to synthesise evidence regarding perceptions of patients, practitioners, and stakeholders on the use of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) for the management of dental caries. DATA: This review was reported in alignment with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023390301) and the Joanna Briggs Systematic Reviews register. SOURCES: References were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE using a pre-established search strategy. STUDY SELECTION: Qualitative and mixed-methods studies examining perspectives of patients, practitioners, and/or stakeholders on the use of SDF were included. The initial search identified 650 articles eligible for inclusion, out of which 14 articles were included in the review. Reviewers synthesised findings and generated 11 distinct categories grouped into three synthesised findings: 1) Clinical use; 2) Staining; 3) Facilitators and barriers. CONCLUSIONS: Practitioners and patients viewed SDF as a therapeutic option with multiple benefits. While aesthetic concerns may be a barrier to some groups, the acceptance of the treatment was influenced by other factors, such as trusting professional advice. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Patient education is key for increased SDF acceptance. This systematic review can assist clinicians in addressing concerns regarding SDF therapy. Findings have the potential to inform policy decisions that address oral health inequities through patient-centred health care models.

  PublisherDOI

• Fewer Children in Families Associated with Lower Odds of Early Childhood Caries: A Sample from Three Countries

  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2023-01-26 · 15 citations

  articleOpen access

  Childhood caries experience is influenced by family characteristics and oral health practices in the context of many social-commercial determinants. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between families' number of children, oral health practices and child caries experience in a convenience sample of 1374 children aged 6 months through 6 years and their families from Ecuador, Nepal, and Vietnam. Data were collected by mother interviews and child dental exams. Multivariate logistic and Zero-Inflated-Poisson regression analyses assessed associations between number of children, oral health practices and decayed, missing or filled teeth (dmft). Families had a mean of 2.2 children (range 1-12); 72% of children had tooth decay, with mean dmft of 5.4. Adjusting for child age, sex, and urban/rural location, a greater number of children in the family was associated with significantly less likelihood of unhealthy bottle feeding practices, having a toothbrush/toothpaste and parent helping child brush, and being cavity-free; higher number of dmft, and greater likelihood of having a dental visit. Early childhood oral health promotion should include focus on oral hygiene and healthy feeding-particularly breastfeeding and healthy bottle feeding practices-as well as access to family planning services and support for childcare.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Silver Diamine Fluoride Staining With Potassium Iodide: A Prospective Cohort Study

  International Dental Journal · 2023-09-23 · 8 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Staining after silver diamine fluoride (SDF) treatment limits treatment acceptability but is also used as a clinical indicator of lesion stability. Potassium iodide (KI) has been postulated to modify SDF staining. Understanding the natural history and resultant shade of SDF/KI-treated lesions will inform clinical decision-making. This study describes the change in colour of carious lesions in primary teeth treated with SDF and KI. METHODS: One hundred carious lesions in primary teeth were treated with SDF + KI (Riva Star, SDI) and followed up over 6 months. Lesion shade was determined using standardised intraoral photography and broadly categorised into 4 shades: yellow, light brown, dark brown, and black. Lesions were digitally isolated, and colour was evaluated using CIELAB (L*: lightness, a*/b*: hue) and perceptible colour change (ΔE). RESULTS: One hundred valid observations were analysed on 129 lesions included in the study. Lesions were excluded if subsequently restored (n = 15), teeth exfoliated (n = 2), exhibited pulpal exposure (n = 1), or failed to attend at follow-up visits (n = 11). At baseline, the shade of carious lesions was yellow (n = 22), light brown (n = 19), dark brown (n = 29), or black (n = 30). The changes in shade between baseline and 6 months were clinically perceptible to the human eye, with the mean ΔE being 12.2 (SD = 6.9). Neither tooth type, lesion severity, nor baseline shade was statistically associated with the degree of perceptible change at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Carious lesions exhibited clinically significant changes in colour after application of SDF + KI, primarily attributed to differences in L* of lesions over the 6 months.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Karen Sokal‐Gutierrez

  17 shared

• Callum Durward

  University of Puthisastra

  16 shared

• Tepirou Chher

  Ministry of Health

  8 shared

• Sithan Hak

  Ministry of Health

  7 shared

• David J. Manton

  University of Groningen

  7 shared

• W. Murray Thomson

  Queen Mary University of London

  7 shared

• Peter G. Robinson

  University of Bristol

  6 shared

• Jilen Patel

  University of Western Australia

  6 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Dental Public Health

  University of Melbourne

  2019

• Other, Dental Public Health

  University of Otago

  2013

• Other

  University of Otago

  2008