Wanda Wright, RN, DDS, MS, MSD
Division Director, Dental Public Health
Associate Professor
wrightwa15@ecu.edu
252-737-7027
4257 Ledyard E. Ross Hall
Clinical Interests
Oral health disparities, oral health related quality of life, increasing access to oral health care, increasing diversity of the oral health workforce, program development, and integrating public health training and research into dental education
Board Certification
Diplomate, American Board of Dental Public Health
Education
DDS – University of Maryland
MSD – Boston University
MS – D’Youville College
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study Dental Public Health – Boston University
Certificate of Clinical Investigation – Tufts University
Society Memberships
American Association of Public Health Dentistry
International and American Association of Dental Research
National Dental Association
American Public Health Association
American Dental Education Association
American Association of Women Dentists
Biographical Information
Dr. Wright is the division director of dental public health at the ECU School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Wright earned her doctor of dental surgery degree from University of Maryland, a master of science in health services administration from D’Youville College, a master of science in dentistry, dental public health and a certificate of advanced graduate study in dental public health from Boston University and a certificate of clinical investigation from Tufts University.
Previously, Dr. Wright served as a faculty member in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research at Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine and then at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine as head of the Division of Public Health Education, Advocacy and Outreach. Most recently, she received funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration to develop a combined DMD/MPH program at Tufts University and served as program director from 2011-2015. She also held joint appointments at Tufts University School of Medicine and Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service.
Dr. Wright has extensive experience and commitment to evidence-based teaching and curriculum development- having responsibility for the curriculum in the area of dental public health for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral students and serving as course director for a number of public health related courses at both Boston University and Tufts University.
Publications
1. Wright WG. Knowledge gaps exist among dentists regarding curing lights and personal protection (A review). J Evid Based Dental Pract. 2017 Sept; 17 (3); 296-297.
2. Wright WG, Spiro A III, Jones JA, Rich SE, Garcia RI. Development of the Teen Oral Health Related Quality of Life Instrument. J Public Health Dent 2017 Spring; 77(2): 115-124.
3. Alkahtani Z, Stark PC, Loo C, Wright WG, Morgan JP. Saudi and U.S. dental students’ attitudes towards treating individuals with developmental disabilities. J Dent Educ 2014 Aug; 78(8):1145-53.
4. Smith P, Wright WG, Hill B. Structural racism and oral health inequities among Black adults in the US. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. September 2020. In Press
5. Wright WG, Averett P, Benjamin J, Nowling JP, Lee, JG, Anand V. Barriers and facilitators to oral health for patients living with mental illness: A qualitative study. Psychiatric Services. September 2020. In Press
6. Wright WG, Rafferty AP, Winterbauer N, Locklear K, Tucker McLaugling. Geofencing: Mobile technology as a health promotion tool to raise awareness of a dental clinic in rural North Carolina. Journal of Rural Health. 5 August 2020.
7. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jrh.12501
8. Luo H, Wu Q, Bell R, Wright WG, Quandt S, Basu R, Moss ME. Rural-Urban differences in dental service utilization and dental service procedures received among US adults: Results from the 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Journal of Rural Health. 2020 July 22. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32697007/
9. Luo H, Wu Q, Bell R, Wright WG, Garcia R, Quandt S. Trends in use of dental care provider types and services in the United States in 2000-2016. Journal of the American Dental Association .2020 August;151(8):596-606.
10. Luo H, Garcia R, Moss M, Bell R, Wright WG, Bei W. Trends of children being given advice for dental checkups and having a dental visit in the United States: 2001-2016. Journal of Public Health Dentistry. 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31951026
11. Gordon S, Warren A, Wright WG. Influence of community-based dental education on practice choice: preliminary data from East Carolina University. Journal of Dental Education. 2019 September;83(9):1000-1011.
12. Luo H, Bell R, Wright WG, Wu Q, Wu B. Trends in annual dental visits among US dentate adults with and without self-reported diabetes and prediabetes, 2004-2014. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2018 Jun;149(6):460-469.
13. Nowlin JP, Lee JG, Wright WG. Implementation of recommended tobacco cessation systems in dental practices: A qualitative exploration in northeastern North Carolina. Journal of Dental Education. 2018May 82 (5):475-482.
14. Neeley M, Miller R, Rich SE, Will LA, Wright WG, Jones JA. Effect of malocclusion on adults seeking orthodontic treatment. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. 2017 December 152(6):778-87.
15. Wright WG. Knowledge gaps exist among dentists regarding curing lights and personal protection (A review). Journal Evidence Based Dental Practice. 2017 Sept; 17 (3); 296-297.
16. Wright WG, Spiro A III, Jones JA, Rich SE, Garcia RI. Development of the Teen Oral Health Related Quality of Life Instrument. Journal of Public Health Dentistry 2017 Spring; 77(2): 115-124.
17. Alkahtani Z, Stark PC, Loo C, Wright WG, Morgan JP. Saudi and U.S. dental student attitudes towards treating individuals with developmental disabilities. Journal of Dental Education 2014 Aug; 78(8):1145-53.
18. Wright WG, Jones JA, Spiro A III, Rich SE, Kressin NR. Use of patient self-report oral health outcome measures in assessment of dental treatment outcomes. Journal of Public Health Dentistry 2009 Spring; 69(2):95-103.