Dr. Abbas Jessani

Biography

Abbas Jessani is a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario. He is also the coordinator for community dental outreach. Dr. Jessani completed his graduate training with a focus on Public Health Dentistry at the University of British Columbia, earning his MSc and PhD. His research explores the unmet oral health needs of vulnerable marginalized populations, including individuals living with HIV, refugees, and pregnant women in British Columbia. His work examines the stigma and discrimination experienced by HIV-positive community members when accessing healthcare services. Before joining Western University, Dr. Jessani was the head of the Department of Operative Dentistry at the University of Saskatchewan, where he emphasized risk-based patient management and minimally invasive dentistry. He has led dental outreach programs since 2011 during his tenure at UBC and the University of Saskatchewan, receiving awards for excellence in teaching and research. Currently, he serves as the course director of preclinical operative dentistry and is focused on identifying barriers to accessing healthcare and oral care services for marginalized communities, including lower socioeconomic status groups and LGBTQ2S individuals.

Research Interests

Experience