项目介绍

2024年5月9日

Your function

Are you interested in doing research in the field of dental biomaterials with the ultimate aim of decreasing caries prevalence and improving quality of life in highly caries-susceptible patients such as the elderly, children, and those exposed to head and neck radiation therapy?

At the dental material sciences department of the Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA, University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit) we are currently looking for a motivated PhD candidate (dentist, chemist, material scientist, biomaterial scientist, etc.) to conduct the research towards a PhD degree within the above-mentioned project in a 4-year time period.

Project description

Even though the prevalence of dental caries has significantly been reduced over the last couple of decades among children and young adults, no significant improvement has been observed in the older population. On the contrary, with an increasing number of elderly people with their teeth present there is a higher frequency of caries development, especially on the susceptible root surfaces (root caries), often exposed as a result of the receding gums. The current caries prevention approach (low sugar diet, oral hygiene measures, local fluoride application) requires considerable patient compliance and is much less efficient in the elderly due to their decreased overall fitness and abilities, and the presence of additional caries risk factors. In addition, invasive treatment of root caries in the elderly is much more complex, time-consuming, and expensive than the treatment of edentulous patients. It is therefore necessary to adopt a simple, efficient, and cost-effective approach for caries prevention/treatment in this population. This project aims to develop a resistant and biocompatible material for the preventive treatment of caries lesions through sealing, coating and/or infiltration of caries-susceptible tooth surfaces, including the exposed root surfaces. The desirable properties of such a material would be: the ability to form a coating layer and to adhere to the tooth surfaces, good stability in the oral cavity, excellent biocompatibility, and the potential to stimulate tooth surface remineralization. Our ultimate aim is to help preserve teeth and adequate oral function, decrease overall costs and burden of frequent and complicated restorative treatments for patients and their caregivers, and finally, improve oral health and quality of life of the elderly population and other high caries risk groups.

Your tasks on this project

• Selection and development of the suitable material(s).
• Laboratory and clinical testing of the material’s effectiveness and various properties such as its stability, biocompatibility, bioactivity, and interaction with tooth tissues.
• Development and improvement of scientific and academic skills (study conception/design, data acquisition and analysis, scientific writing, time management, keeping up to date with the literature, critical thinking, communication skills, presentation and public speaking skills, etc.).
• Close collaboration with your (co)promotors, lab technicians and other involved researchers.
• Supervision of master and bachelor students with your (co)promotors.
• Publishing your results in relevant peer-reviewed journals and writing your PhD thesis manuscript.

Your profile

• We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who is a holder of a university master’s degree in one of the following fields: Dentistry, Materials Engineering, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Biomedical Sciences, etc.
• Candidate should have a keen interest in biomaterial sciences and be eager to expand his/her knowledge to bridge the gap between dentistry and material sciences/engineering.
• Candidate should have good communication skills and be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Candidate should be able and willing to work independently as well as collaboratively in an interdisciplinary context.