Educational and Professional Background
D.D.S., 1978, Marquette University Dental School, Milwaukee, WI
M.P.H., 1982, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Kathryn A. Atchison, D.D.S., M.P.H., is a professor in the UCLA School of Dentistry and a senior dental health services researcher. Following completion of her dental degree at Marquette University School of Dentistry in 1978, Dr. Atchison completed a Masters in Public Health at Boston University School of Public Health. After teaching Oral Diagnosis and Radiology at Washington University School of Dental Medicine for two years, she was selected among a nationwide competition to participate in the Robert Wood Johnson Dental Health Services Research Fellowship at UCLA (1984-86). She joined UCLA’s faculty in 1987, and in 1991 was chosen by the MultiCampus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology to participate in the Bureau of Health Professions Mid-Career Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine and Dentistry. Concurrently, she was selected as a junior faculty member to participate in the Pew National Dental Education Leadership Program. During 2003 Dr. Atchison was a Department of Health and Human Services, Primary Health Care Policy Fellow. She was nominated for this fellowship by the American Association of Public Health Dentistry and served as their representative.
Research/Creative Activities
Dr. Atchison has had substantial experience conducting and leading collaborative multidisciplinary, community-based research. She served as the Principal Investigator (PI) of a HRSA-funded evaluation of the impact of federal support to Postgraduate General Dental Training. The purpose of this manpower study was to evaluate the impact of federal funding on the growth and development of postdoctoral general dentistry training programs. She is currently Co-PI on an RO1 to study dental predictors of osteoporosis, and PI for an RO1 to study Patient preferences for Treatment of Mandibular Fracture. She has published extensively on outcomes assessment and quality of care issues, such as perceptions of oral health and development and evaluation of psychosocial outcome measures, for which she developed the Geriatric/ General Oral Health Assessment Index, a much-sought-after measure of determining patient-assessed oral health status. She was the PI of a four-year multidisciplinary study with the School of Public Health to measure the efficacy and effectiveness of the FDA Guidelines for ordering dental radiographs. She served as Program Coordinator for an NIDR-supported study to examine the physical, psychosocial and economic impact of orofacial injury. This five-year, multidisciplinary study involving UCLA Schools of Dentistry, Medicine and Public Policy and Social Research, as well as Drew University School of Medicine and Science, is funded through the UCLA/Drew Minority Oral Health Research Center.
Courses taught
Course Chair
Clinical Applications of Quality Assurance PH424a
Seminar leader
Health Policy Issues, History and Ethics
Professional memberships and activities:
American Association of Public Health Dentistry
• Executive Committee: Member at Large, 1998-2002, Oral Health Policy Committee 2003-present
American Dental Association
American Dental Education Association (formerly American Association of Dental Schools)
American Public Health Association
California Dental Association
International Association of Dental Research / American Association of Dental Research
• Member, AADR Council; Behavioral Science/Health Services Research Representative; 2000 to present
• Constitution Committee, Appointed member, 2001-2004; Chair, 2002-2004
• IADR Behavioral Sciences & Health Services Research Group (BSHSR) and Geriatric Oral Health Groups
• BSHSR President-Elect (1997-1998); President (1998-1999); Past President (1999-2000)
• Elected member of Publications Committee, 2003 to 2005.
Coordinating author for “Determinants of Health” Chapter for Surgeon’s General Report on Oral Health, 1997-2000.
Recent Publications
- Mito RS, Atchison KA, Lefever KH, Lin S, Engelhardt R. Characteristics of Civilian Postdoctoral General Dentistry Programs. Journal of Dental Education 66(6):757-65, 2002.
- Lefever KH, Atchison KA, Mito RS, Lin S. Curriculum Emphasis and Resident Preparation in Postgraduate General Dentistry Programs. Journal of Dental Education 66(6):747-56, 2002.
- Atchison KA, Bachand W, Buchanan CR, Lefever KH, Lin S, Engelhardt R. Military and VA General Dentistry Training: A National Resource. Journal of Dental Education 66(6):739-46, 2002.
- Atchison KA, Cheffetz SE. Critical Issues for Dentistry: PGD Program Directors Respond. Journal of Dental Education 66(6):730-38, 2002.
- Atchison KA, Mito RS, Lefever KH, McCauley K. Introduction to Section: Dentistry and Primary Care – An Evaluation of Postgraduate General Dentistry Training. Journal of Dental Education 66(6):728-29, 2002.
- Atchison KA. Global review of oral health in ageing societies—past and future.Proceeding of a WHO International Symposium, Tokyo, Japan, 2 June 2001. Good Oral Health in Ageing Societies. Filling the Gap between Dental Health and Life Expectancy. Tokyo, Japan: World Health Organization Kobe Centre. Pages 10-19. An edited and published proceeding.
- Atchison KA, Bibb CA, Lefever KH, Mito RS, Lin S, Engelhardt R. Gender differences in career and practice patterns of PGD-trained dentists. Journal of Dental Education 2002;66(12):1358-67.
- Atchison KA, Mito RS, Rosenberg DJ, Lefever KH, Lin S, Engelhardt. PGD Training and its impact on general dentist practice patterns. Journal of Dental Education 2002;66(12):1348-57.
- Atchison KA, Dubin LF. Understanding health behavior and perceptions. The Dental Clinics of North America 2003;47:21-39.
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"Teaching at UCLA allows one to influence future leaders of the profession. "
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