About

Robert McDonough is an Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Health Services Research at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Biostatistics from Boston University, obtained in 2021. His professional focus is on health policy and health services research, contributing to the academic and clinical community through his role in the department. Based at the office located at 560 Harrison, Suite 346, he is actively involved in advancing research and education in dental health policy and services.

Research topics

• Internal medicine
• Dentistry
• Medicine
• Endocrinology
• Demography
• Statistics

Selected publications

• Effect of being overweight and obese on periodontal treatment costs

  The Journal of the American Dental Association · 2023 · 6 citations

  • Medicine
  • Internal medicine
  • Dentistry
  PublisherDOI

• Effect of Overweight and Obesity on Periodontal Treatment Intensity

  JDR Clinical & Translational Research · 2022 · 11 citations

  • Medicine
  • Internal medicine
  • Dentistry

  INTRODUCTION: Obesity is associated with greater utilization of medical resources, but it is unclear if a similar relationship exists for dental care. OBJECTIVES: This retrospective cohort study compared periodontal disease treatment among obese, overweight, and normal-weight patients attending an urban US dental school clinic. METHODS: ). Periodontal disease was categorized using clinical probing measures. Procedure codes defined treatment type (surgical, nonsurgical, local chemotherapeutics, or none). Logistic regression models controlling for initial periodontal disease severity, age, gender, tobacco use, history of diabetes, dental insurance type, and follow-up (log of days) estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of any treatment among obese and overweight relative to normal-weight patients. The association between BMI and a periodontal treatment intensity score, based on treatment type, number of teeth treated, and number of visits, was evaluated with multivariable negative binomial regression. RESULTS: Mean age at baseline was 44 ± 15 y, and severe periodontal disease was present in 32% of obese, 31% of overweight, and 21% of normal-weight patients. Average follow-up was 3.9 ± 1.6 y. Obese and overweight patients were more likely to have nonsurgical scaling and root planing or surgical procedures than normal-weight patients. Adjusted odds of any treatment were higher among obese (OR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.14-1.72) and overweight (OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 0.97-1.42) relative to normal weight. Obese and overweight patients had 40% and 24% higher treatment intensity scores, respectively, than normal-weight patients. CONCLUSION: These results indicate obese and overweight individuals require more intensive periodontal treatment compared to normal-weight individuals, independent of initial disease severity. KNOWLEDGE OF TRANSFER STATEMENT: The results of this study can be used by dental providers and policymakers to better understand patient characteristics that influence the variability in frequency and length of periodontal treatment. Knowledge of a patient's body mass index may be useful in identifying patients who possibly will have a poorer periodontal prognosis.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Edentulism is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality in adult men

  The Journal of the American Dental Association · 2022 · 8 citations

  • Medicine
  • Demography
  • Internal medicine
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Elizabeth A. Krall

  Boston University

  7 shared

• Raul I. García

  Boston University

  6 shared

• Brenda Heaton

  University of Utah

  5 shared

• M. Marianne Jurasic

  Veterans Health Administration

  5 shared

• Kendrick Smaellie

  Boston University

  4 shared

• Carolyn C. Compton

  Arizona State University

  4 shared

• Julia C. Bond

  3 shared

• Frank Liu

  The Rogosin Institute

  2 shared

Education

• MA in Biostatistics, Biostatistics

  Boston University

  2021

• BS in Statistics, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

  University of New Hampshire

  2015

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