Benjamin Chaffee, DDS, MPH, PhD

The overarching goal of our team’s epidemiologic research program is to understand how various behaviors, biological attributes, and contexts influence health and disease distributions across populations. Application of such knowledge aims to inform future public health practices, health policies, and clinical guidelines that elevate the health of patients and communities. A research focus has been understanding tobacco use perceptions and behaviors among adolescents, particularly new and emerging products and in the context of evolving tobacco regulatory policies. Other areas of interest include engaging dental professionals in providing patients with tobacco cessation support, early-life experiences in relation to childhood oral health, and prevention-focused, patient-tailored approaches to manage oral disease.