Dr Moira Smith
Moira Smith is a Senior Research Fellow and Co-Director, Health Promotion and Policy Research Unit in the Department of Public Health, University of Otago Wellington, and Associate Member, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago.
Moira currently chairs the NZ Oral Health Clinical Advisory Network. She graduated BDS in 1987 from the University of Otago, and practiced dentistry in New Zealand and the United Kingdom until 2010.
In 2010, Moira left private practice to undertake her doctorate in public health and has since undertaken research in a range of areas of public health interest, including oral health of older adults and oral health services.
Oral Health Therapist, Dental Therapist & Hygienist Programme
What Matters Most in Oral Health for Older Adults
Maintaining good oral health in older adults can be challenging. Physical and cognitive changes as we age increase our risk of oral disease. This is further complicated by a multitude of barriers to accessing oral assessment and treatment. We will explore these issues using a case-based example, describe a New Zealand research project with an alternative care delivery model and share our perspectives on what matters most in oral health care for older adults.