Profile
Dr. Ali Golkari is a dentist by training, having completed his MSc and PhD in Dental Public Health at University College London (UCL), followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in Electronic and Distance Learning in Medical Sciences at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS). With over two decades of experience in both academic and clinical settings, Dr. Golkari is dedicated to advancing oral health outcomes through innovative research, education, and community engagement.
His research interests include exploring innovative methods of data collection, enamel defects, socio-economic determinants of oral health, the impact of oral conditions on quality of life, and the development of preventive strategies for underserved populations. Dr. Golkari is an expert in quantitative study design and data analysis in relation to oral health research. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, providing valuable insights into the intersection of clinical practice and public health.
In addition to his research, Dr. Golkari is passionate about teaching and mentoring the next generation of dental professionals. He currently teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate dental students at QMUL and supervises PhD candidates. He is actively involved in encouraging early student involvement in research and critical thinking, and is recognized for his commitment to integrating real-world public health challenges into the academic environment.
Centre: Dental Public Health and Primary Care
Teaching
Dr. Ali Golkari plays a pivotal role in both undergraduate and postgraduate education within the IoD at Queen Mary University of London. His teaching portfolio spans several key areas within dental education, with a strong focus on integrating theoretical knowledge with practical application.
Undergraduate Teaching:
Dr. Golkari is involved in teaching Dental Public Health, Evidence-Based Dentistry, and Research Design to undergraduate dental students. His approach emphasizes critical thinking and the importance of applying evidence-based practices in clinical settings. Beyond the classroom, Ali mentors undergraduate students who are keen to gain research experience through the Undergraduate Dental Research Society (UDRS - Institute of Dentistry). In this role, he guides students in developing their research skills, from formulating hypotheses to conducting studies and analyzing data.
As an academic advisor, Dr. Golkari is committed to supporting the academic journey of a group of assigned undergraduate students, following their progress from the start of their studies to graduation.
Postgraduate Teaching:
At the postgraduate level, Ali teaches in the MSc in Dental Public Health, Policy and Leadership program, focusing on Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD). His courses are designed to equip students with the skills needed to critically evaluate research and apply epidemiological principles in public health practice. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Golkari supervises MSc dissertations, providing guidance on research design, data analysis, and the presentation of findings. He also supervises PhD candidates, offering mentorship and expertise throughout the research process.
Ali's dedication to teaching and mentoring ensures that his students not only gain knowledge but also develop the skills and confidence to contribute meaningfully to the field of dentistry.
Research
Research Interests:
PhD project
Ali’s PhD was about encoding and using developmental enamel defects as biomarkers of early childhood adverse events. Link: See his thesis
Research Interests and Projects
Dr. Ali Golkari’s research is grounded in life course epidemiology, with a particular focus on its application to oral health. He is deeply invested in understanding how early-life exposures and experiences shape long-term oral health outcomes. His research employs advanced quantitative analysis methods, allowing for a more nuanced exploration of complex relationships beyond simple associations between variables. This approach enhances the robustness of his findings and contributes to a deeper understanding of oral health dynamics.
Dr. Golkari has conducted numerous studies on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL), examining how oral conditions impact individuals' daily lives and overall well-being. His work in this area has provided valuable insights into the subjective experiences of patients, helping to inform patient-centered care practices.
Passionate about translational research, Dr. Golkari is committed to bridging the gap between scientific discoveries and practical applications. He actively engages in multi- and interdisciplinary research, collaborating with experts across various fields to address complex health issues. Currently, Dr. Golkari is involved in research groups focusing on reducing oral health inequalities in London. These projects aim to identify factors contributing to disparities in oral health and to develop targeted interventions to close these gaps.
Additionally, Dr. Golkari is part of a multi-country study investigating smoking and smokeless tobacco cessation. This research seeks to understand the cultural, social, and behavioral factors influencing tobacco use and to develop effective cessation strategies tailored to diverse populations. Ali's role is mainly the application of multivariate decomposition analysis for a better understanding of interaction of multiple factors towards the attempt or successful quitting.
Artificial Intelligence in Dental Education and Practice
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an increasingly vital area of research and development, and Dr. Ali Golkari is actively engaged in this contemporary field. Recognizing AI’s potential to revolutionize dental education and practice, Dr. Golkari has been instrumental in expanding the integration of AI technologies within the Institute of Dentistry (IoD) at QMUL, a pioneer in this space. One of the unique advancements at IoD is its haptics technology, which provides students with realistic, AI-enhanced simulations for hands-on dental training.
Ali is part of an international collaboration aimed at extending these innovative AI practices beyond the UK. He is involved in a multi-country grant project to expand and transfer AI experience to the dental schools of other countries like India. Through these efforts, Dr. Golkari is helping to shape the future of dental education globally, ensuring that AI becomes an integral part of training the next generation of dental professionals.
Publications
Ali’s selected publications are listed below. See this link for Ali Golkari full publication on Google Scholar.
H Yusuf, A Golkari, S Kaddour. (2023)
Oral health of people experiencing homelessness in London: a mixed methods study
BMC public health 23 (1), 1701
H Heidari, A Sabokseir, ST Heydari, M Vossoughi, A Golkari. (2022)
Scientific Paper Production by Iranian Dental Schools Between 2015 and 2019.
Shiraz E-Medical Journal 23 (1)
A Behbahanirad, H Joulaei, J Jamali, A Golkari, M Bakhtiar. (2021)
Dimensional Structure of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale
Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences 46 (2), 112
M Zeraatkar, S Ajami, N Nadjmi, SA Faghihi, A Golkari. (2019)
A qualitative study of children’s quality of life in the context of living with cleft lip and palate.
Pediatric health, medicine and therapeutics 10, 13
M Moosazadeh, M Akbari, R Tabrizi, A Ghorbani, A Golkari, M Banakar, ... (2016)
Denture stomatitis and Candida albicans in Iranian population: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Journal of Dentistry 17 (3 Suppl), 283
M Moosazadeh, M Akbari, R Tabrizi, A Ghorbani, A Golkari, M Banakar, ... (2016)
Denture stomatitis and Candida albicans in Iranian population: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Journal of Dentistry 17 (3 Suppl), 283
V Moshkelgosha, S Fathinejad, Z Pakizeh, M Shamsa, A Golkari. (2015)
Photographic facial soft tissue analysis by means of linear and angular measurements in an adolescent persian population.
The Open Dentistry Journal 9, 346
A Ghanim, R Bagheri, A Golkari, D Manton. (2014)
Molar–incisor hypomineralisation: a prevalence study amongst primary schoolchildren of Shiraz, Iran.
European archives of paediatric dentistry 15 (2), 75-82
A Golkari, H Khosropanah, F Saadati. (2013)
Evaluation of knowledge and practice behaviours of a group of Iranian obstetricians, general practitioners, and midwives, regarding periodontal disease and its effect on the …
Journal of public health research 2 (2), jphr. 2013. e15
A Golkari, A Sabokseir, HR Pakshir, MC Dean, A Sheiham, RG Watt. (2011)
A comparison of photographic, replication and direct clinical examination methods for detecting developmental defects of enamel.
BMC Oral Health 11 (1), 1-7
SE Jabarifar, A Golkari, MH IJadi, M Jafarzadeh, P Khadem. (2010)
Validation of a Farsi version of the early childhood oral health impact scale (F-ECOHIS).
BMC Oral Health 10 (1), 1-7
