Professor Zoe Marshman
BDS, MPH, DDPH, FDS (DPH), PhD
School of Clinical Dentistry
Professor in Dental Public Health
Honorary Consultant in Dental Public Health


+44 114 215 9398
Full contact details
School of Clinical Dentistry
19 Claremont Crescent
Sheffield
S10 2TA
- Profile
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I joined the University of Sheffield in 2002 as a Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Specialist Registrar in Dental Public Health. Since then I have completed specialist training and was awarded a PhD in 2008. I am currently a Professor and Honorary Consultant in Dental Public Health.
- Research interests
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My main interest is child-centred dental research to improve the oral health and treatment experiences of children and their families. I have led, published and presented internationally and nationally many child-centred research projects and have become recognised as an advocate for involving children in high quality oral health research, using innovative participatory methods. I lead the CREATE research theme.
My current projects include:
Self-help Cognitive Behavioural Therapy resource for young people with dental anxiety
I am the principal investigator on a project to develop and evaluate a self-help Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) resource for young people with dental anxiety. This project involved collaboration with Kings College London, University of Reading and University of Glasgow. This project resulted in the first self-help CBT resource for young people with dental anxiety and accompanying resources for parents and dental teams.
Since then, further funding has been obtained from the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme for the CALM trial to investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the self-help CBT resource to reduce dental anxiety in children seen in primary dental care. https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR131805
BRIGHT Trial: Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral Health
I am co-PI on the BRIGHT Trial: Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh, funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme. BRIGHT is a multi-centre UK-wide trial evaluating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a Short Messaging Service behaviour change programme to improve the oral health of young people living in deprived areas. https://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/research/trials/research/trials/bright/
I am also involved with other NIHR funded research including:
Trials:
PIP: Pulpotomy for the management of Irreversible Pulpitis in mature teeth https://www.abdn.ac.uk/hsru/what-we-do/trials-unit/pip-957.php
SCRIPT: Selective Caries Removal In Posterior Teeth https://www.abdn.ac.uk/hsru/what-we-do/trials-unit/script-834.php
Public health research projects: Public Health Practice Evaluation Scheme - First Dental Steps
Collaborative networks:
Yorkshire and Humber Applied Research Collaboration https://www.arc-yh.nihr.ac.uk/
My international funded research projects include:
Norwegian Research Council. #Care4YoungTeeth, 2022-
Research Associates
- Dr Jennifer Kettle
- Dr Sarab El Yousfi
- Publications
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Journal articles
- Set up and assessment of progression criteria for internal pilots: the Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh (BRIGHT) trial example. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 9.
- The CALM trial protocol: a randomised controlled trial of a guided self-help cognitive behavioural therapy intervention to reduce dental anxiety in children. Trials, 24.
- Does dental caries lead to stunting and wasting in children?. Evidence-Based Dentistry, 23(4), 144-145.
- Does the use of miswak reduce plaque and gingivitis among adults?. Evidence-Based Dentistry, 23(4), 152-153.
- Health visiting teams and children’s oral health: a scoping review. BMC Oral Health, 22.
- Study protocol for First Dental Steps Intervention: feasibility study of a health visitor led infant oral health improvement programme. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8(1).
- A qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to the implementation of a pilot school-based, toothbrushing programme. BMC Oral Health, 22(1).
- HABIT: Health visitors delivering Advice in Britain on Infant Toothbrushing – an early-phase feasibility study of a complex oral health intervention. BMJ Open, 12(10).
- Co-production of an information video on silver diammine fluoride – with children, for children. Faculty Dental Journal, 13(4), 160-165.
- Co-design of an oral health intervention (HABIT) delivered by health visitors for parents of children aged 9–12 months. BMC Public Health, 22(1).
- Adaptation and Testing of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Resource of Turkish Version to Reduce Dental Anxiety in Children. The Journal of Pediatric Research, 9(3), 242-251.
- Can motivational interviewing help prevent dental caries in secondary school children?. Evidence-Based Dentistry, 23(2), 56-57.
- Anticipatory guidance and children's oral health: A scoping review.. Community Dent Health.
- Correction to: Pulpotomy for the Management of Irreversible Pulpitis in Mature Teeth (PIP): a feasibility study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8(1).
- Pulpotomy for the Management of Irreversible Pulpitis in Mature Teeth (PIP): a feasibility study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8(1).
- Children’s general anaesthesia – parental preferences and information needs. Faculty Dental Journal, 13(2), 62-67.
Preprints
- A national survey of Supervised Toothbrushing Programmes in England, Research Square Platform LLC.
- Co-design of an oral health intervention (HABIT) delivered by health visitors for parents of children aged 9-12 months, Research Square Platform LLC.
- Set up and assessment of progression criteria for internal pilots: the Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh (BRIGHT) trial example. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 9.
- Research group
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PhD students
- Annie Morgan: Dental anxiety in young people. September 2013- present. Funded by Faculty of Dental Surgery Research Award.
- Ashwag Alotaibi: Oral health of children in special schools in Saudi Arabia. 2019-present. Funded by Saudi Arabia government.
- Bhupinder Dawett: The implementation and acceptability of Minimum Intervention Dentistry in children attending NHS dental practice – a feasibility study. October 2017-present. Funded by NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship.
- Fiona Noble: No need(le) to worry: development and feasibility study of a self-help cognitive behavioural therapy resource for children with needle fear. June 2021-. Funded by NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship.
- Teaching interests
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I teach undergraduate dental students, dental hygiene and dental therapy students and on the Masters in Dental Public Health programme. My main teaching interests include dental epidemiology and the organisation of dental healthcare systems.
- Teaching activities
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I am dental public health lead for the BDS programme and module lead for the Masters in Dental Public Health - Foundations and Theory CDH604 module.
I am external examiner for several undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across the UK.
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Invited speaker at International Association of Dental Research and International Association of Paediatric Dentistry conferences
- National policy work for Department for Education and Public Health England
- Chair of the North of England and Yorkshire Dental Public Health Audit group: 2014 - present
- NIHR Yorkshire and Humber Oral and Dental specialty group lead 2016 - present
- Academic director for Charles Clifford Dental Services, Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 2017- present
- Journal referee for Journal of Dental Research, Community Dentistry & Oral Epidemiology, Community Dental Health, Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, Quality of Life Research, British Dental Journal.
- Chair and member of various trial and project steering committees.