Santosh Tadakamadla

Professor Santosh Tadakamadla is a professor of dentistry and oral health at La Trobe University in Australia. He leads the Oral Health theme of the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research. A specialist in public health dentistry, he has over 15 years of international experience as a dental academic and researcher. His research focuses on oral health promotion, workforce distribution, and community-based interventions to address oral health inequalities. Professor Tadakamadla has authored over 180 peer-reviewed publications, including in The Lancet and Journal of Dental Research. He has led and been a part of landmark National Health and Medical Research Council-funded projects in Australia. His work has influenced health policy, has been featured in OECD and Cochrane documents, and has been translated into large-scale health promotion initiatives. A former NHMRC Early Career Fellow, he was awarded the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Centennial Emerging Leader for Asia-Pacific in 2020. He has held leadership roles in IADR’s Behavioural, Epidemiologic and Health Services Research Group and served on international editorial boards and grant panels. He actively engages with Indigenous and rural communities, mentors emerging researchers, and collaborates globally to advance oral health equity. His impact spans academia, public health policy, and global dental research networks.