Ulrika Lindmark

 
Professor Oral Health Sciences

Research

Dental public health is Ulrika's research profile, which includes all ages and different groups in the society. The aim of Ulrika's research is to increase the knowledge about the understanding of individuals' actions and needs in order to promote good oral health. One goal is to contribute to developing and promoting oral health-promoting work at several arenas and in collaboration with other professions.The salutogenic theory is therefore a central theory in her research and involves focus on health factors and the individual's ability to utilize resources in a health-promoting direction. The sense of coherence (SOC) is a concept within this theory that also laid the foundation for Ulrika's thesis entitled: "Oral Health and Sense of Coherence Health Behavior's Knowledge, Attitudes and Clinical Status". Other salutogenic concepts such as resilience, quality of life, health locus of control, social capital, emotional intelligence and interdisciplinary, are since then also included in her research.

Research interests:

  • The relationship between oral health and public health
  • The relationship between inequality in oral health and social / biopsychosocial determinants
  • How oral health can contribute to healthy aging
  • Self-perceived oral health and quality of life 
    and
  • Multidisciplinary collaboration and internationalization

Ulrika's epidemiological studies show,  that individuals with high SOC is associated with healthier oral health behaviors, fewer caries lesions, more positive attitudes toward oral health, and healthier dietary patterns. Severe levels of periodontal disease are associated with low SOC.

Ulrika has also done research on elderly people's oral health and needs for collaboration on oral health. Results show, that it is a relationship between oral health problems and nutritional status, and oral health problems are common among older people in nursing homes where planned measures did not seem to be sufficient to address the identified problems. Oral health is also seen as a significant component of quality of life in late adulthood.

A project, funded by The National Board of Institutional Care (SiS) and in collaboration with researchers in social work, studies the oral health of young people placed at secure care (SiS). The results (not yet publiched) indicate that while the young people show signs of, among other things, more caries disease than other peers, they perceive that oral health is important for appearance and function.

The well-being of dental staff, physically and psychosocially, is another area of ​​research that Ulrika collaborates with together with researchers in physiotherapy and occupational therapy, also from a salutogenic perspective.

Ulrika has been involved in projects around obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), from both a staff and patient perspective. An international multicenter study is ongoing with the aim of implementing knowledge and training about OSA in dental hygienist education.

In a newly started multidisciplinary study, protective factors against caries among 6-year-olds in Värmland will be studied. Information on the occurrence of caries together with the collection of oral bacteria and exposure to environmental chemicals, questions about oral health and interviews with the children's guardians are planned.

On the basis of her research, Ulrika has so far co-authored several textbooks (in Swedish):

 

Teaching

Teaching takes place mainly on the dental hygiene program's courses but also on Masters and PhD leval. Courses in which teaching takes place are subjects in oral health, dental public health, dental care, conversation and communication as well as scientific methods and theory. Supervision is provided by undergraduate, advanced level and doctoral students.

Online-based courses are of interest where continuous training is ongoing.

Publications