‘Philosophies and Principles of Dental Public Health’ is a general module that introduces the philosophy of the overall DPH Masters course. Students learn about key concepts pertaining to public health and dental public health that can be universally applied to improve the oral health of populations, communities and to address oral health inequalities.

By the end of this module, students will have developed:

A thorough understanding of the main principles of public health and dental public health,
	The ability to critically analyse existing oral health policies and provisions.
This module is open to students registered on the MSc Dental Public Health.

Method of delivery: a series of lectures and seminars in Term 1. During seminars students will have the opportunity to read and discuss key texts pertaining to the philosophy underpinning Dental Public Health.

Selected Reading List 

Daly B, Batchelor P, Treasure ET and Watt RG (2013): Introduction to the Principles of Public Health. In: Essential Dental Public Health: 2nd ed, Oxford: Oxford University Press.pp. 1-17.

Rose G (1985): Sick individuals and sick populations. International Journal of Epidemiology, 14,32-38.

Solar O, Irwin A (2010): A Conceptual framework for action on the social determinants of health. Social Determinants of Health Discussion Paper 2 (Policy and Practice). Geneva: World Health Organization.

Watt RG (2007): From victim blaming to upstream action: tackling the social determinants of oral health inequalities. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol;35: 1–11.

Watt RG, Sheiham A (2012): Integrating the common risk factor approach into a social determinants framework. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2012;40(4):289-96.

Watt RG, Listl S, Peres MA and Heilmann A (2015): Social inequalities in oral health: from evidence to action. International Centre for Oral Health Inequalities Research & Policy. http://www.icohirp.com/monograph.html

Watt, RG et al. (2019) Ending the neglect of global oral health: time for radical action. The Lancet, Volume 394, Issue 10194, 261 - 272