Rate My Professor Hawazin Elani

Hawazin Elani is an Associate Professor of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. A board-certified prosthodontist and epidemiologist, she earned her BDS, followed by an MSc and PhD in epidemiology from McGill University, and an MMSc from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine during her residency in prosthodontics. Her academic career at Harvard has progressed from assistant professor to associate professor, where she now holds full-time faculty positions in both institutions.

Elani's research centers on the impact of health policies on oral health among vulnerable populations, examining social determinants of health, disparities, and barriers to oral health services. She utilizes advanced big data analytics, including causal inference methods, econometrics, and machine learning, to generate evidence for data-driven policymaking that reduces inequities. She leads several projects funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Commonwealth Fund, focusing on dental access, Medicaid coverage fluctuations, geographic disparities such as dental deserts, and the role of artificial intelligence in addressing oral health inequities. Notable publications include "Dental Clinic Deserts in the US: Spatial Accessibility Analysis" (JAMA Network Open, 2024), "Dental Coverage and Care When Transitioning From Medicaid to Marketplace Plans" (JAMA Health Forum, 2024), "Fluctuating State Medicaid Dental Coverage: Asymmetric Impact of Benefit Cuts and Expansions, 2010-21" (Health Affairs, 2026), "Individual and Institutional Factors Influencing Dentists' Practice in Underserved Areas" (Scientific Reports, 2026), and "Geographic Access to Dental Specialists in the United States" (Journal of Dental Research, 2025). Elani received the Young Mentor Award from Harvard Medical School. Her contributions inform policy discussions on improving dental insurance accessibility and reducing rural oral health burdens.