Education
- PhD in Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, May 2023
- Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Adams School of Dentistry, June 2023
- MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine (Distinction), University of Oxford, United Kingdom, September 2016
- BDS (Dentistry), B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Nepal, March 2010
Areas of Expertise
- Oral epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, social determinants of oral health, GIS mapping, and infectious diseases.
Overview
Dr. Poojan Shrestha is a clinician scientist with a rich academic and professional background.
He earned his PhD in Epidemiology from the Gillings School of Global Public Health and a Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from the Adams School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His doctoral research explored the genetic underpinnings of early childhood caries and developmental defects of tooth enamel; their relationship with each other; and potential gene-environment interactions with environmental factors like fluoridated household water and sugar exposure.
He received his MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine from the University of Oxford, UK (2016) as a Weidenfeld-Arcadia Scholar and holds a Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree from the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal (2010). He has received multiple scholarships and awards throughout this journey.
As a clinician, he has accumulated substantial clinical experience in diverse settings, including hospitals, community clinics, and private practices, providing care to both children and adults. He is passionate about providing the best care to his patients, which is particularly evident in his work with children as part of the interdisciplinary craniofacial team at ASOD.
His research experience spans a decade and includes multiple universities, countries, and productive collaborations with numerous peer-reviewed publications in respected journals.