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Faculty Information

Ananda P. Dasanayake, BDS, MPH, PhD, FACE

Professor
Dept. of Epidemiology & Health Promotion
433 First Avenue, room 708
New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212-998-9631
Fax: 212-998-9766
E-mail: ad75@nyu.edu

Education

PhD, Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham 1993
MPH, Int Dental Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham 1988
BDS, Dentistry, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 1980

Honors / Credentials

  • 1989 Charter member, Upsilon Chapter of Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
  • 1989 - 1992 President, Upsilon Chapter of Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
  • 1992 Charter member, Beta-Nu Chapter of Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
  • 1993 Lynn Henley Outstanding Achievement Award for the most outstanding international graduate student, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
  • 1993 William J. Gies Award for the best paper published in the Journal of Dental Research (co-author)
  • 1999 Nominee, Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, Birmingham, AL, USA
  • 2006 Elected member, Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) National Dental Honor Society
  • 2006 Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology (FACE)
  • 2006 Nominee, Exceptional Achievement Award, Sri Lanka Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2005 - 2007 Core Director, Training and Certification Core, the Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research and Learning Network (PEARL)
  • 2005 - 2007 Associate Core Director, Protocol Development Core, the Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research and Learning Network (PEARL)
  • 2002 - 2016 Director, Graduate Program in Clinical Research, New York University College of Dentistry
  • 2008 Recipient, Exceptional Achievement Award, Sri Lanka Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2010 Inaugural Member, New York University Academy of Distinguished Educators
  • 2014 Adjunct Professor, Joint Colleges of Medicine, Oral Health, and Veterinary Sciences, University of Technology, Jamaica
  • 2014 AADR/IADR BEHSR Symposium Coordinator
  • 2015 AADR/IADR BEHSR Program Chair
  • 2015 - Advisor to the Unit for Research and International Affairs, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
  • 2015 - Consultant, Caribbean Health Initiative
  • 2016 AADR/IADR BEHSR North American Director
  • 2016 Visiting Professor, Khon Kaen University Faculty of Dentistry, Thailand
  • 2016 AADR Fellow
  • 2017 Visiting Professor, Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Dentistry, Bangkok, Thailand

Research Interests / Professional Overview

  • Epidemiology of dental caries.
  • Prevention of transmission of Mutans Streptococci from mother to infant.
  • Perinatal periodontal health and poor pregnancy outcomes.
  • Dental health services utilization by minorities.
  • Barriers in meeting Healthy People 2010 objectives in relation to dental sealants.
  • Oral Cancer Epidemiology.
  • Mid-level providers in dentistry.

Representative Publications

Complete listing available on the NYU Health Sciences Library site.

Search PubMed for articles.

Original Reports

Caries-related

  1. Caufield PW, Cutter GR, Dasanayake AP. Initial acquisition of Mutans Streptococci by infants: evidence for a discrete window of infectivity. J Dent Res 1993;72(1):37-45.
  2. Dasanayake AP, Caufield PW, Cutter GR, Stiles HM. Transmission of Mutans Streptococci to infants following short term application of an iodine-NaF solution to mothers' dentition. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 1993;21(3):136-42.
  3. Dasanayake AP, Wiener HW, Li Y, Vermund SV, Caufield PW. Lack of effect of chlorhexidine varnish on Streptococcus mutans transmission and caries in mothers and children. Caries Res 2002;36(4):288-93.
  4. Lorber MF, Slep AM, Heyman RE, Xu S, Dasanayake AP, Wolff MS. Noxious family environments in relation to adult and childhood caries. Journal of the American Dental Association (1939) 2014;145:924-930

Oral/systemic health-related

  1. Dasanayake AP. Poor periodontal health of the pregnant woman as a risk factor for low birth weight. Annals of periodontology / the American Academy of Periodontology. 1998; 3(1):206-12. PubMed [journal] PMID: 9722704
  2. Dasanayake AP, Chhun N, Tanner AC, Craig RG, Lee MJ, et al. Periodontal pathogens and gestational diabetes mellitus. Journal of dental research. 2008;87(4):328-33. NIHMSID: NIHMS54075 PubMed [journal] PMID: 18362313, PMCID:PMC2561333
  3. Chokwiriyachit A, Dasanayake AP, Suwannarong W, Hormdee D, Sumanonta G, et al. Periodontitis and gestational diabetes mellitus in non-smoking females. Journal of periodontology. 2013; 84(7):857-62. PubMed [journal] PMID: 23075430
  4. Rajapakse PS, Nagarathne M, Chandrasekra KB, Dasanayake AP. Periodontal disease and prematurity among non-smoking Sri Lankan women. Journal of dental research. 2005; 84(3):274-7. PubMed [journal] PMID: 15723870

Health services-related

  1. Dasanayake AP, Li Y, Chhun N, Bronstein JM, Childers NK. Challenges faced by minority children in obtaining dental care. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved. 2007; 18(4):779-89. PubMed [journal] PMID: 17982207
  2. Dasanayake AP, Li Y, Kirk K, Bronstein J, Childers NK. Restorative cost savings related to dental sealants in Alabama Medicaid children. Pediatric dentistry. 2003; 25(6):572-6. PubMed [journal] PMID: 14733472
  3. Dasanayake AP, Li Y, Wadhawan S, Kirk K, Bronstein J, et al. Disparities in dental service utilization among Alabama Medicaid children. Community dentistry and oral epidemiology. 2002; 30(5):369-76. PubMed [journal] PMID: 12236828
  4. Dasanayake AP, Li Y, Philip S, Kirk K, Bronstein J, et al. Utilization of dental sealants by Alabama Medicaid children: barriers in meeting the year 2010 objectives. Pediatric dentistry. 2001; 23(5):401-6. PubMed [journal] PMID:11699162