Rate My Professor Amy Chen

Amy Chen is a Professional Practice Fellow in the Department of Oral Rehabilitation within the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Otago. She holds a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Health (PGDip(DigHeal)), both obtained from the University of Otago from 2012 to 2017. Currently pursuing a Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (DClinDent) specializing in paediatric dentistry, Chen combines clinical practice with research to advance oral health care, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Her research specializations include oral health care for children with sensory challenges, person-centered digital health innovations for positive paediatric oral health experiences, clinical contaminants in adhesive restorative procedures, and oral health needs among special groups such as former refugees and individuals with eating disorders. Affiliated with the Sir John Walsh Research Institute, she contributes to projects exploring caregivers' perspectives on children's oral health, supported by the New Zealand Dental Association and Ministry of Health. Chen's key publications are 'Oral Health Status of Individuals with Eating Disorders: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis' (Journal of Dentistry, 2024, with Phoebe Pui Ying Lam and others), 'A scoping review of the influence of clinical contaminants on bond strength in direct adhesive restorative procedures' (Journal of Dentistry, 2024, with Manikandan Ekambaram, Kai Chun Li, Paul R. Cooper, and May Lei Mei), and 'Oral Health Care Needs Among Former Refugees of the War in Syria' (2018, with A. Barazanchi, A. Al Nabhani, and Moira Smith). She has also engaged in postgraduate discussions on access to general anaesthesia in paediatric dentistry.

Beyond academia, Chen serves as Health Informatics Expert on the New Zealand National Mirror Committee for ISO/TC215 Health Informatics (since February 2023) and Core Member of the International Medical Informatics Association Dental Working Group (since December 2022). Her work integrates clinical dentistry with informatics to improve patient outcomes.