Dr David Brennan

Dr David Brennan

  • Biography/ Background

    Professor David Brennan undertakes health services research and epidemiological analysis. He has worked on a range of projects involving both cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of dental service provision, research into health-related quality of life, and psycho-social aspects of health.

    Google Scholar Profile link:

    Appointments:
    • Director, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health: 2018-21
    • Professor (University of Adelaide): 2015-
    • Director, Health Services Research Unit: 2013-18
    • Editorial Board of the Journal of Dental Research: 2010-15
    • Editorial Board of Health and Quality of Life Outcomes: 2012-20
    • Associate Editor for the journal BMC Research Notes: 2010-16

    Previous appointments:
    • Deputy Director, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health: 2011-13
    • Head of Unit, (AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit): 2008-10.
    • Member: Oral Health Advisory Committee, SA Dept of Health, 2008-10.
    • Deputy Head of AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit 2003-08.
    • Senior Research Fellow (University of Adelaide): 2000-2008; Associate Professor (University of Adelaide): 2008-14
    • NHMRC Public Health Postgraduate Research Scholar: 1997-1999.
    • Conference coordinator: 39th Scientific Meeting, IADR (ANZ Division), 1999.
    • Secretary/Treasurer (IADR, SA section) 1994-1999.

    Peer review involvement:
    He has reviewed for 40 journals including leading dental journals such as Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, and public health journals. He has assessed grants for NHMRC, ADRF, the UK Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, and has served as a member of an NHMRC Peer Review Panel.

  • Qualifications

    • PhD, University of Adelaide
    • MPH, University of Adelaide
    • Grad. Dip. (Computer and Information Science), University of South Australia
    • BA (Hons), Flinders University

  • Awards & Achievements

    • NHMRC Career Development Award (2010-2013)
    • Australian Dental Journal: Award of Excellence for most outstanding scientific paper (2007)
    • NHMRC Public Health Postgraduate Research Scholarship (1997-1999)

  • Teaching Interests

    • Evidence-based Dentistry
    • Study Design
    • Social Context of Dentistry

  • Research Interests

    Research themes:
    • Patient-reported outcome measures (OHIP, EQ-5D)
    • Dental services
    • Tooth loss and use of services
    • Chewing ability and nutrition
    • Determinants of oral health between adolescence and young adulthood

    Current research:
    Current research includes supervision of PhD candidates investigating dental insurance and service patterns, and mobility of internationally trained dentists in Australia.

    Also investigating the health outcomes of dental services through the NHMRC-funded Centre of Research Excellence in Health Services Research, and the APHCRI-funded Centre of Research Excellence in Primary Health.

  • Research Funding

    NHMRC people support
    • Public Health Scholarship (1997-99)
    • Career Development Award (2010-2013)

    NHMRC research support
    • Project grants (2003-05, 2004-06, 2009-11)
    • Strategic Research Development grants (2002-03)
    • Centre for Research Excellence in Health Services Research (2012-2016)

    Australian Dental Research Foundation support
    • Research grants (1998, 2001, 2004-5, 2007-9, 2011-13)

    Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute support
    • Centre for Research Excellence in Primary Health (2012-2016)

  • Publications

    Selection of publications from over 190 refereed articles, reviews and monographs since 1992

    Self-reported outcome measures:
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Dimensions of oral health related quality of life measured by the EQ-5D+ and OHIP-14. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2004;2:35.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Disability weights for the burden of oral disease in South Australia. Pop Health Metrics 2004;2:7.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Comparison of a generic and a specific measure of oral health related quality of life. Community Dent Health 2005;22:11-8.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Mapping oral health related quality of life to generic health state values. BMC Health Services Res 2006;6:96
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ, Roberts-Thomson KF. Quality of life and disability weights associated with periodontal disease. J Dent Res 2007;86:713-7.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ, Roberts-Thomson KF. Tooth loss, chewing ability and quality of life. Qual Life Res 2008;17:227-35.
    Brennan DS, Singh KA. General and oral health self-ratings, and impact of oral problems. Eur J Oral Sci 2011;119:469-473.
    Crocombe LA, Brennan DS, Slade GD. The relationship between dental care and perceived oral health impacts. Community Dental Health 2011;28:259-64.
    Crocombe LA, Brennan DS, Slade GD. The influence of dental attendance on change in oral health-related quality of life. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2012;40:53-61.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ, Roberts-Thomson KF. Change in oral health in relation to use of dental services over 2 years. Eur J Oral Sci 2012;120:422-428.

    Variation in service rates:
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Factors influencing choice of treatment by private general practitioners. Int J Behav Med 2002; 9:94-110.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Influence of patient, visit and oral health factors on dental service provision. J Pub Health Dent 2002;62:148-57.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. The role of dentist, practice and patient factors in the provision of dental services. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2005;33:181-95.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Dentist preferences for patients: dimensions and associations with provider, practice and service characteristics. Int J Behav Med 2006;13:69-78.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Longitudinal comparison of factors influencing choice of dental treatment by private general practitioners. Aust Dent J 2006;51:117-23.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Stability of practice beliefs and preferences for patients – comparison of 1997 and 2007. Aust Dent J 2009;54:198-203.
    Brennan DS, Singh KA, Spencer AJ. Health system values and social values of dental practitioners. Health Policy 2008;86:318-24.

    Dental service provision:
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Provision of diagnostic and preventive services in general dental practice. Community Dent Health 2003;20:5-10.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Diagnostic and preventive services trends: 1983-84 to 1998-99. Aust Dent J 2003;48:43-9.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Restorative service trends in private general practice in Australia: 1983 to 1999. J Dent 2003;31:143-51.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Restorative service patterns in Australia: amalgam, composite resin and glass ionomer restorations. Int Dent J 2003;53:455-63.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Trends in service provision among Australian private general dental practitioners over a 20-year period. Int Dent J 2006;56:215-23.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Trends in private dental service provision by geographic location. Aust J Rural Health 2007;15:189-95.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Service patterns associated with coronal caries in private general dental practice. J Dent 2007;35:570-7.
    Brennan DS, Luzzi L, Roberts-Thomson KF. Dental service patterns among private and public adult patients in Australia. BMC Health Services Research 2008;8:1.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Responsibility loadings for dental services by general dentists. BMC Health Services Research 2010;10:177.

    Psycho-social aspects of health:
    Brennan DS, Singh KA, Spencer AJ, Roberts-Thomson KF. Positive and negative affect and oral health related quality of life. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2006;4:83.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Life events and oral-health-related quality of life among young adults. Qual Life Res 2009;18:557-65.
    Arrow P, Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Quality of life, psycho-social factors and fixed orthodontic treatment (FOT) – a 17-year observational cohort study. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2011;39:505-14.
    Brennan DS, Spencer AJ. Social support and optimism in relation to the oral health of young adults. Int J Behav Med 2012;19:56-64.

  • Professional Associations

    • Australasian Epidemiological Association (AEA)
    • International Association for Dental Research (IADR)

  • Files

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Entry last updated: Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021