Jessica Large

  • Doctoral Researcher

Research groups and centres

Start date: January 2022
Primary supervisor: Professor Amanda Daley
Secondary supervisor(s): Dr Claire Madigan

Jessica Large is a Doctoral Researcher at Loughborough University and a Specialty Registrar in Paediatric Dentistry based in Sheffield, formerly Edinburgh, who seeks to encourage wider collaboration across dentistry in supporting children above or below a healthy weight. She has experience of leading a hospital-based service development and evaluation which introduced routine body mass index (BMI) screening, discussion and support, as appropriate, for children and families attending the Paediatric Dentistry Department in Edinburgh. She also led the update for the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry’s (BSPD) Position Statement on Childhood Dental Decay and Obesity and co-authored the Position Statement on Limiting the advertisement of products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS). Jessica is exploring the wider acceptability and feasibility amongst the public and dental profession of weight intervention by dental teams through her PhD with Loughborough University.

Project Title:

Weight management interventions by dental professionals. 

Project Summary:

The focus of Jessica’s doctoral research is exploring the acceptability and feasibility amongst the public and dental profession of weight intervention by dental teams. A completed systematic review and meta-analysis and observational study are informing the development of a feasibility randomised controlled trial to explore if body mass index (BMI) screening, discussion and signposting to support by dental teams is acceptable within a primary dental care setting (dental practices).