Professor Dileep Sharma, Head of Discipline, Oral Health at the University of Newcastle, has established himself as a leading researcher in oral health with over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and invited conference presentations. His research portfolio demonstrates exceptional breadth and impact across dental materials, oral cancer prevalence, periodontics, oral implantology, and oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Professor Sharma’s research excellence has been recognized through prestigious awards including the Clarks Family Award for Sustainable Dental Materials research from the Australian Dental Research Foundation and the 2022 ANZ Joan Chong Award in Dental Materials from the International Association for Dental Research. His work addresses critical contemporary challenges including dental implant innovations, oral cancer prevention strategies, tissue regeneration technologies, and the emerging field of mental health integration in oral health care.
His research leadership is evidenced by securing over $900,000 across 20 grants throughout his career, including recent major equipment grants totaling $490,000 in 2023-2024. International collaborations include an $84,000 New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant for student experiences in Cambodia and capacity-building initiatives across Pacific Island nations.
Professor Sharma’s global research network spans multiple continents, with published collaborations involving co-authors from Australia, India, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. His current research focus encompasses developing educational tools for managing patients with autism spectrum disorders, advancing data-driven approaches to public oral health system management, and pioneering translational research that bridges clinical practice with public health policy.
Through active supervision of multiple doctoral and master’s students and service on NHMRC and Australian Dental Research Foundation reviewer panels, Professor Sharma continues advancing evidence-based oral health research while mentoring the next generation of dental researchers.
