Name: Nora Makansi

Institution: McGill University    
Email: nora.makansi@mail.mcgill.ca

Project Title

Oral Health, Social, and Dietary habtis of Indigenous Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Short Project Description

There are only a few studies in the literature regarding oral health and disease in the UAE. Those studies focus on the prevalence of dental decay among young children (4-6 years old) and show a trend of increasing prevalence of caries among them. A study done in 2006 reported a mean dmfs of 9.2 among 5 year-old children in the city of Ajman.
Studies have shown that dental decay is strongly related to dietary habits and social and cultural factors. Also, evidence suggests that adolescence is a critical stage for the development of lifelong eating behaviours. So far, there are no epidemiological data on the oral health status or dietary habits of adolescents living in the UAE.

Using a mixed methods approach, the objective of this study are:

• To measure the oral health status of adolescents in grades 10-12 in the city of Dubai
• To assess adolescents’ attitudes and perceptions of the social and cultural factors that influence their dietary habits
• To design and conduct a questionnaire on factors influencing their dietary habits

First, we will conduct 10 to 12 focus groups with selected indigenous participants. The purpose of the focus groups is to elicit information on the adolescents’ attitudes and knowledge about factors influencing their dietary habits. The outcomes will be useful for refining the quantitative survey and insuring that its contents are relevant to the study population.

Secondly, participants will be clinically examined by a trained dental hygienist to establish their DMFT scores and they will be asked to complete a structured survey with questions regarding their meal patterns, social habits related to diet, consumption of sweet snacks and sodas, and oral hygiene habits, as well as utilization of dental services, socio-demographic characteristics and parental level of education.

Academic Qualifications

Msc., 2007, McGill University
DDS, 2003, Ajman Univeristy

Most Recent Publications

Makansi N, Allison P, Bedos C. Qualitative Evaluation of an Online Research Network for Dental Practitioners. Journal of Dental Research. Abstract # 105796 (in press)