King's College London

To improve oral health through the application of evidence-based behaviour change science.

Mission Statement:

Lead the behaviour change agenda in the UK and support oral health care teams in clinical, research and professional development activity using the best available science on the topic.

Create a space to bring together behavioural change science and oral health researchers, educators and clinicians with the view of exchanging knowledge, deciding on big questions to tackle.

Work collegiately to support the translation of research findings into clinical practice and policy.

Liaise with organisations such as Higher Education (HE) institutions and industry to undertake research, use this research to inform teaching of dental teams and consult with individuals, policy makers, clinicians and other healthcare professionals to enrich professional practice.

Promote the transformation of dental curricula with the inclusion of distinct and appropriate behavioural input across all years of undergraduate and postgraduate dental education.

Collaborate on applications for research grant funding to answer research questions in the field.

Network Structure:

We are interested in behaviour per se, with a particular focus on the interrelationships between, dental patients, the population, people, policy and practice. The purpose of the network is to collaborate, inform, educate, research and ultimately translate findings into clinical practice.

Consensus statement:

Following the success of the 2020 Behavioural and Social Oral Health Sciences Summit organised by the Behavioural, Epidemiology and Health Services Research (BEHSR) group of IADR, a publication on the future of oral health behavioural and social sciences at JDR marks another important milestone.

The publication, a collaborative, international work represents a significant turning point for dental and oral health research. Across 5 target areas, the publication reflects on past and current developments while showcasing the exciting future that lies ahead for behavioural and social sciences in oral health through specific directions and actions.

This publication coincides with the recent PHE national guidance on Delivering Better Oral Health where oral health behaviour change received a much needed and overdue dedicated space with, now, a clear mandate for dental teams to proactively incorporate behaviour change in routine practice.

Behaviour change is making strides in the dental world and the recent JDR publication is a major leap in the right direction. BeCinD members have been strongly involved in this initiative. 

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00220345211068033