Gerry McKenna

Dr. Gerry McKenna is a Clinical Professor at Queen's University Belfast, affiliated with the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences and the Centre for Public Health. His roles include consultant in Restorative Dentistry, Director of Internationalisation, and Chair of Oral Health Services Research and Gerodontology. He leads multidisciplinary research focused on optimizing oral health care for older adults, including care home interventions, nutritional links, and implant dentistry. McKenna holds leadership positions in national/international organizations such as the British Dental Association, European College of Gerodontology, and the Geriatric Oral Research Group (GORG).

• Key Roles:
  • Consultant in Restorative Dentistry (Belfast Health and Social Care Trust)
  • Director of Internationalisation (School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences)
  • Principal Investigator, Centre for Public Health
  • President, British Dental Association (Northern Ireland)
• Research Interests: Gerodontology, oral-nutrition linkages, care home oral health, implant overdentures, head/neck oncology, and patient-centered outcomes.
• Awards: Adjunct Professorships, multiple poster prizes, and NICE Fellowship (2021-2024).

Research Contributions: Over 200 peer-reviewed publications, 15 active projects, and collaborations on EU-funded initiatives like the eCampus for Dental Education (EDEMTET). His work addresses systemic health impacts of oral care, care home oral health interventions, and implant-based solutions for edentulism.

Grants & Activities: Leads projects funded by EU (Erasmus+, Horizon 2020), and collaborates on global initiatives like the CONCEALED study (dietary intake and oral health in care homes). Active in policy advocacy through NICE and public engagement via media commentaries on oral cancer and care home guidelines.

Labs/Teams: Heads the Oral Health Research group within the Centre for Public Health, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams on topics like nutritional status and implant dentistry outcomes.