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The 2023 Noel Martin Visiting Chair: Professor Donald Chi

27 April 2022
Leadership in dental public health research and education
A prolific researcher, Professor Chi is dual board-certified in pediatric dentistry and dental public health. His expertise include oral health disparities, social determinants of health, and Native American health.
Professor Donald Chi's academic headshot

Professor Donald Chi.

The Sydney Dental School is proud to annouce Professor Donald Chi (University of Washington) is the 2023 Noel Martin Visiting Chair.

A professor and the Lloyd and Kay Chapman Endowed Chair of Oral Health at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, Professor Chi also serves as Associate Chair for Research in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health in the School of Public Health.

Professor Chi’s research focuses on understanding and addressing oral health inequities.

I am honored for the opportunity to share my work and learn from new colleagues and friends. Most exciting is the potential to start new collaborations aimed at addressing oral health inequities that affect underserved populations in both Australia and the U.S.
Professor Donald Chi, University of Washington

He received the 2017 IADR Distinguished Scientist Award and was named Pediatric Dentist of the Year by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in 2018. He spent the 2016-2017 academic year as a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University.

Professor Chi teaches public health to dental students and pediatric dentistry residents and has been a staff pediatric dentist at the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in Seattle since 2009.

The University welcomes Professor Chi for four weeks with Professor Woosung Sohn as academic host.

I am excited to welcome Professor Chi who is one of the best funded dental researchers in the US. His success will not only inspire our Early- and Mid- Career Researchers but help them to stretch their goals by learning from him during his stay here in Sydney and beyond.
Professor Heiko Spallek, Head of School and Dean, Sydney Dental School

As Chair, Professor Chi will:

  • Advise on developing strategic plan for a long-term research and education for Sydney Dental School
  • Advise on grantsmanship, publication on peer-reviewed journals, and alternative forms of knowledge transfer to graduate students and early career researchers to enhance their research capability
  • Lecture on indigenous oral health inequalities, health behaviours, conceptual model building, and community-centred interventions
  • Explore potential collaboration in research capacity building, networking, and development of sustainable research strategy that is in alignment with the strategic plan of the Faculty
  • Provide lectures, presentations, and CPD courses for students, practitioners, academics, researcher, and others.

Learn more about Professor Donald Chi

About the Noel Martin Visiting Chair

The Noel Martin Visiting Chair was established in 2017 as tribute to Professor Noel Martin, an influential figure in the history of dentistry at the University and a former Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry from 1970 until his retirement in 1988.

A leading advocate for change in Australian dental practice and health more broadly, Professor Martin's successful championing of the fluoridation of drinking water in NSW is arguably one of our greatest gifts to society.

Annual appointees share a strong focus on prevention and a whole-of-body approach to dentistry. They provide academic and research leadership, drive innovation and build international research links for the future. Students and the dental profession will have access to their expertise through lectures and meetings.