Profile
Dr Bien Lai is the current head and senior consultant of the NDCS Paediatric Dentistry Unit. She graduated from the NUS Faculty of Dentistry in 2006 with multiple academic and service awards consistently through dental school years. She was awarded the MOH Overseas Scholarship for Paediatric Dentistry Specialty training in 2008, was board certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry in 2012, and obtained dental specialty accreditation in Singapore in 2014. Dr Lai continues to strive towards excellence in all areas – admin, clinical, education and research, as evident by the multiple external/internal appointments and awards.
Education
- Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore (Paediatric Dentistry) – 2016
- Dental Specialist Accreditation (Paediatric Dentistry) - 2014
- Diplomate, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry - 2012
- MSc (Pediatric Dentistry) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA - 2011
- BDS National University of Singapore - 2006
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Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships
Professional appointments
- Member, Dental Specialist Accreditation Board (2023 till present)
- Council Member, College of Dental Surgeons Singapore, Academy of Medicine Singapore (2023 till present)
- Member, NDCS Healthcare Services Prioritization Committee (2023 till present)
- Member, NDCS Value Driven Care Committee (2023 till present)
- Member, New NDCS Multi-Disciplinary Clinic Sub-Committee (2022 till present)
- Member, New NDCS Education Sub-Committee (2022 till present)
- Associate Member, New NDCS Commissioning Working Committee (2022 till present)
- Co-lead, New NDCS GAOT Sub-Committee (2022 till present)
- Member, NDCS Clinical Privileging and Competency Committee (2022 till present)
- Member, NDCS Oral Disease Registry Committee (2022 till present)
- Member, National Paediatric Dental Strategy Workgroup (2019 till present)
- Chapter Chair, Chapter of Paediatric Dentistry, College of Dental Surgeons Singapore, Academy of Medicine Singapore (2017-2020)
- Co-Chair, NDCS Sedation Workgroup (2021 till present)
- Member, NDCS Population Health Committee (2021 till present)
- Member, NDCS Laser Use in Dentistry Committee (2021 till present)
- Member, NDCS Clinical Quality and Safety Committee (2017 till present)
- Member, Dental Specialist Accreditation Committee (Paediatric Dentistry) (2016-2023)
- Member, NDCS Ambulatory Surgery Advisory Committee (2016 till present)
- Member, NDCS Research Review Committee (2014 till present)
- Member, NUS MDS Paediatric Dentistry Residency Training Programme Specialist Committee (2014 till present)
Committee Memberships
- College of Diplomates, Pediatric Dentistry, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
- International Association of Pediatric Dentistry
- Society for Paediatric Dentistry Singapore
- Singapore Dental Association
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Awards
- National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Population Health Research Grant – New-Investigator Grant (PHRG-NIG) Principle Investigator (2023)
- Singapore Health Quality Service Award (Gold) (2022)
- Oral Health ACP Excellence in Teaching Award (Postgraduate Residency Programme) (2021)
- Singapore Health Quality Service Award 2019 (Silver) (2019)
- Health Manpower Development Programme Award (2015)
- SingHealth Foundation Health Service Research New Investigator Award (2012)
- Raymond Tseng Research Travel Award (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA) (2011)
- North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute Research Grant Award, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA (2009-2010)
- Ministry of Health Postgraduate Overseas Scholarship (Specialist Training in Paediatric Dentistry) – (2008-2011)
- Drs Tay and Partners Gold Medal (Faculty of Dentistry, NUS) – Best All-Rounder Student (2006)
- BDS 71 Scholarship (Faculty of Dentistry, NUS) (2005)
- Dental Society Merit Awards (2004,2005)
- Singapore Dental Association Bronze Medal (Faculty of Dentistry, NUS) (2003)
- Dean’s list (Faculty of Dentistry, NUS) (2003,2004,2005,2006)
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Research Interests
Infant oral health, dental caries, preventive dentistry and population health, children with special healthcare needs
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Publications
- Non- pharmacological management of dental fear and anxiety in children and adolescents: An umbrella review S J Quek,
B Lai, A Yap, S Hu. European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2022 Sep;23(3):230-242.
- Increasing empathy for children in dental students using virtual reality. S Hu,
BWP Lai. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2022 Nov;32(6):793-800.
- At what age do children have the motor development to adequately brush their teeth? Chua RYD, Hu S, Sim YF, Lim WY,
Lai B, Hong C. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2022 Jul;32(4):598-606.
- Masticatory function after comprehensive dental treatment in children with severe early childhood caries. Khong SYJ, Goh AT, Sim YF,
Lai B, Forde C, Hong C. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry July 2021.
- Recommending 1000ppm fluoride toothpaste for caries prevention in children. Hu S,
Lai B, Lim WY, Yee R. Singhealth Proceedings. Oct 2020. DOI:10.1177/2010105820963291.
- The effect of parenting styles on enforcement of oral health behaviors in children. S J Quek, Y F Sim,
B Lai, W Lim, C H Hong. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2020 May 16. doi: 10.1007/s40368-020-00537-7.
- Parental acceptance of silver diamine fluoride in children with autism spectrum disorder. Hu S, Meyer B,
Lai BWP, Chay PL, Tong HJ. Int J Paediatr Dent, 17 feb 2020,30(4):514-522.
- Clinical efficacy of a two-year oral health programme for infants and toddlers in Singapore.
Lai B, Tan WK, Lu QS. Singapore Medical Journal 2018 feb;59(2):87-93.
- Unmet dental needs and barriers to dental care among children with autism spectrum disorders.
Lai B, Milano M, Roberts MW, Hooper SR. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Jul;42(7):1294-303
- Idiopathic Gingival Hyperplasia: A Case Report with a 17-Year Follow-up.
Lai B, Muenzer J, Roberts MW. Case Rep Dent. 2011;2011:986237. doi: 10.1155/2011/986237. Epub 2011 Jul 3.
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