Najith Amarasena

Research Interests

Dentistry Education Health Promotion Public Health and Health Services

Dr Najith Amarasena

NHMRC Grant-Funded Research Fellow

School of Dentistry

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Dr Najith Amarasena is a Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH), at the University of Adelaide. He is a dentist by profession.Before coming to Adelaide, Najith was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Niigata University, Japan and a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He had also worked for the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka as a Consultant in Dental Public Health.Najith is currently involved in developing educational material for dental professionals and the public in the Dental Practice Education Research Unit (DPERU). He is among one of the few who develop quizzes for online Continuous Professional Development (CPD online) program of the DPERU. Najith has also worked in the Dental Statistics and Research Unit (DSRU) in producing a series of research reports including the Child Dental Health Survey (CDHS), Australia. He has been working with Indigenous Oral Health Unit (IOHU) to explore the relationship between oral health and social and emotional well-being of the Indigenous Australians. Najith has previously embarked on working with Oral Health Practitioner Practice Activity and Oral Health of Older Adults projects of Health Services Research Unit (HSRU) and Oral Health Promotion Clearinghouse while being a member of the expert team that involved in a consultancy research contract with Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar on water fluoridation assessment. Najith has also been a member of an expert working group that reviews nutritional reference values for fluoride for Australia and New Zealand and that is funded by the Department of Health, Federal Government of Australia. He is one of the few ARCPOH staff who have been involved working with almost all the units in ARCPOH. He has supervised a couple of Master's students as well as a Doctoral candidate and mentored several postgraduate students in a research environment all of whom successfully graduated recently. Najith has also been a reviewer/examiner of Honours research presentations as well as Master's and Doctoral theses. He was collaborating with Niigata University, Japan on a population-based research project that was aiming to investigate oral-systemic health relationships in community-dwelling older adults.

Epidemiology of periodontal disease including relationship between systemic health and periodontal disease, micronutrients and periodontal disease, tobacco use and periodontal disease, dentine hypersensitivity, dental caries and family structure, child oral health, indigenous oral health, oral health services research, oral health education and promotion

Date Position Institution name
2008 - ongoing Research Fellow University of Adelaide
2004 - 2008 Senior Lecturer University of Peradeniya
2003 - 2004 Consultant Dental Surgeon in Community Dentistry Department of Health
2001 - 2003 Postdoctoral Fellow Niigata University
1998 - 2001 Visiting Reseacher Niigata University

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
Japanese Can speak and understand spoken
Sinhala; Sinhalese Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
Niigata University Japan PhD
Japan Society for Promotion of Science Japan FJSPS
University of Colombo Sri Lanka MD (Community Dentistry)
University of Colombo Sri Lanka MSc (Community Dentistry)
University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka BDS

Date Title Institution Country
PhD Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, Niigata Japan
MD University of Colombo, Colombo Sri Lanka
MSc University of Colombo, Colombo Sri Lanka

Date Title Institution name Country
2003 Board Certified Specialist in Community Dentistry Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka -
2001 Fellow Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Tokyo Japan

Year Citation
2025 Amarasena, N., Luzzi, L., Chrisopoulos, S., & Mejia, G. (2025). Dental Visiting Patterns and Their Associations With Dental Caries and Periodontal Diseases. Clinical and Experimental Dental Research, 11(1), e70087-1-e70087-12.
DOI Europe PMC1
2023 Amarasena, N., Luzzi, L., & Brennan, D. (2023). Effect of Different Frequencies of Dental Visits on Dental Caries and Periodontal Disease: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(19), 6858-1-6858-12.
DOI Scopus13 Europe PMC8
2021 Balasubramanian, M., Keuskamp, D., Amarasena, N., & Brennan, D. (2021). Predictors for oral and general health outcomes and quality of life among older people attending general practice clinics in South Australia. Gerodontology, 38(4), 395-403.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2021 Hanna, K., Nair, R., Amarasena, H., Armfield, J. M., & Brennan, D. S. (2021). Temporomandibular dysfunction experience is associated with oral health-related quality of life: an Australian national study. BMC Oral Health, 21(1, article no. 432), 432-1-432-13.
DOI Scopus20 WoS17 Europe PMC13
2021 Amarasena, N., Chrisopoulos, S., Jamieson, L. M., & Luzzi, L. (2021). Oral Health of Australian Adults: Distribution and Time Trends of Dental Caries, Periodontal Disease and Tooth Loss. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11539-1-11539-14.
DOI Scopus19 WoS15 Europe PMC16
2019 Amarasena, N., Haag, D., & Peres, K. (2019). A scoping review of caries risk management protocols in Australia and New Zealand. Australian Dental Journal, 64(1), 19-26.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC2
2019 Amarasena, N., Gnanamanickam, E. S., & Miller, J. (2019). Effects of interdental cleaning devices in preventing dental caries and periodontal diseases: a scoping review.. Australian dental journal, 64(4), 327-337.
DOI Scopus29 WoS25 Europe PMC19
2018 Keuskamp, D., Amarasena, H., Balasubramanian, M., & Brennan, D. (2018). General health, well-being and oral health of patients attending 75+ health assessments.. Australian Journal of Primary Health.
DOI
2018 Brennan, D., Keuskamp, D., Balasubramanian, M., & Amarasena, N. (2018). General health and well-being among primary care patients aged 75+ years: associations with living conditions, oral health and dependency. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 37(1), E1-E6.
DOI Scopus10 WoS7 Europe PMC5
2018 Amarasena, N., Keuskamp, D., Balasubramanian, M., & Brennan, D. (2018). Health behaviours and quality of life in independently living South Australians aged 75 years or older. Australian Dental Journal, 63(2), 156-162.
DOI Scopus8 WoS8 Europe PMC7
2018 Amarasena, H. D., Spencer, A. J., Roberts-Thomson, K. F., & Brennan, D. S. (2018). Dental knowledge and dental service utilization: a 2-year follow-up study. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 46(4), 336-342.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC5
2018 Teusner, D., Satur, J., Gardner, S., Amarasena, H., & Brennan, D. (2018). Variations in Australian dental therapy practice by practitioner and workplace characteristics. International Dental Journal, 68(4), 235-244.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2018 Keuskamp, D., Amarasena, N., Balasubramanian, M., & Brennan, D. (2018). General health, wellbeing and oral health of patients older than 75 years attending health assessments. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 24(2), 177-182.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC4
2017 Amarasena, H. D. N. A. J. I. T. H., Teusner, D., Brennan, D., & Satur, J. (2017). Practice characteristics and service provision rates of dental hygienists in Australia. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 16(1), 125-133.
DOI Scopus1 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2016 Amarasena N., Kapellas K., Brown A., Bartold M., Celemajer D., & Jamieson, L. (2016). Factors Associated with Routine Dental Attendance among Aboriginal Australians.. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 27(1A), 67-80.
DOI Europe PMC4
2016 Teusner, D. N., Amarasena, N., Satur, J., Chrisopoulos, S., & Brennan, D. S. (2016). Applied scope of practice of oral health therapists, dental hygienists and dental therapists. Australian Dental Journal, 61(3), 342-349.
DOI Scopus20 WoS18 Europe PMC11
2016 Amarasena, N., Kapellas, K., Skilton, M. R., Maple-Brown, L. J., Brown, A., Bartold, M., . . . Jamieson, L. M. (2016). Factors associated with routine dental attendance among aboriginal Australians. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 27(Suppl. 1), 67-80.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC4
2016 Teusner, D. N., Amarasena, N., Satur, J., Chrisopoulos, S., & Brennan, D. S. (2016). Dental service provision by oral health therapists, dental hygienists and dental therapists in Australia: implications for workforce modelling. Community Dental Health, 33(1), 15-22.
DOI Scopus12 WoS13 Europe PMC8
2015 Amarasena, N., & Lalloo, R. (2015). Teething and sleep difficulties: findings from the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 39(4), 396.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC2
2015 Amarasena, N., Kapellas, K., Skilton., Maple-Brown, L., Brown, A., O'Dea, K., . . . Jamieson, L. (2015). Associations with dental caries experience among a convenience sample of Aboriginal Australian adults. Australian Dental Journal, 60(4), 471-478.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC5
2015 Amarasena, N., Kapellas, K., Brown, A., Skilton, M., Maple-Brown, L., Bartold, M., . . . Jamieson, L. (2015). Psychological distress and self-rated oral health among a convenience sample of Indigenous Australians. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 75(2), 126-133.
DOI Scopus20 WoS20 Europe PMC14
2014 Amarasena, H., Kapellas, K., Skilton, M., Maple-Brown, L., Brown, A., Bartold, P., . . . Jamieson, L. (2014). Oral health behaviours and perceptions reported by Indigenous Australians living in Darwin, Northern Territory. Community Dental Health, 31(1), 57-61.
DOI Scopus5 WoS6 Europe PMC2
2013 Jayasingha, R., Tilakaratne, A., Amarasena, H., Mack, F., & Anandamoorthy, T. (2013). Impact of marginal contact of removable acrylic partial dentures on periodontal parameters. International Journal of Research in Medical and Health Sciences, 1(3), 1-11.
2012 Wellappuli, N., & Amarasena, H. (2012). Influence of family structure on dental caries experience of preschool children in Sri Lanka. Caries Research, 46(3), 208-212.
DOI Scopus29 WoS25 Europe PMC24
2011 Amarasena, H., Spencer, A., Ou, Y., & Brennan, D. (2011). Dentine hypersensitivity in a private practice patient population in Australia. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 38(1), 52-60.
DOI Scopus57 WoS45 Europe PMC35
2010 Amarasena, H., Spencer, A., Ou, Y., & Brennan, D. (2010). Dentine hypersensitivity - Australian dentists' perspective. Australian Dental Journal, 55(2), 181-187.
DOI Scopus36 WoS24 Europe PMC24
2010 Amarasena, J., Jayasinghe, V., Amarasena, N., & Yamada, Y. (2010). Oral stereognostic ability during adaptation to new dentures in experienced and non-experienced complete denture wearers. Journal of Oral Biosciences, 52(2), 181-186.
DOI Scopus9 WoS4
2009 Matsumoto, S., Ogawa, H., Soda, S., Hirayama, S., Amarasena, N., Aizawa, Y., & Miyazaki, H. (2009). Effect of antimicrobial periodontal treatment and maintenance on serum adiponectin in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 36(2), 142-148.
DOI Scopus33 WoS29 Europe PMC23
2008 Amarasena, N., Yoshihara, A., Hirotomi, T., Takano, N., & Miyazaki, H. (2008). Association between serum calcium and periodontal disease progression in non-institutionalized elderly. Gerodontology, 25(4), 245-250.
DOI Scopus28 WoS24 Europe PMC22
2007 Amarasena, J., Amarasena, N., & Yamada, Y. (2007). Role of Oral Mucosa in the Detection of Different Sizes of Objects in a Group of Young Adults. Journal of Oral Biosciences, 49(4), 286-291.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2007 Amarasena, J. K. C., Ariyawardana, A., Amarasena, N., & Yamada, Y. (2007). Mastication and swallowing in patients with oral submucous fibrosis. Asian Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 19(3), 145-149.
DOI Scopus4
2007 Amarasena, J., Amarasena, N., & Yamada, Y. (2007). Role of Oral Mucosa in the Detection of Different Sizes of Objects in a Group of Young Adults. Journal of Oral Biosciences, 49(4), 286-291.
DOI
2006 Ogawa, H., Yoshihara, A., Amarasena, N., Hirotomi, T., & Miyazaki, H. (2006). Association between serum albumin and periodontal disease in community-dwelling elderly. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 33(5), 312-316.
DOI Scopus29 WoS30 Europe PMC27
2005 Rahardjo, A., Yoshihara, A., Amarasena, N., Ogawa, H., Nakashima, K., & Miyazaki, H. (2005). Relationship between bleeding on probing and periodontal disease progression in community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 32(11), 1129-1133.
DOI Scopus13 WoS12 Europe PMC11
2005 Amarasena, N., Ogawa, H., Yoshihara, A., Hanada, N., & Miyazaki, H. (2005). Serum vitamin C-periodontal relationship in community-dwelling elderly Japanese. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 32(1), 93-97.
DOI Scopus68 WoS60 Europe PMC53
2004 Amarasena, N., Ikeda, N., Win, K. K. S., Yamaguchi, Y., Takehara, T., & Miyazaki, H. (2004). Factors associated with severe periodontitis in rural Cambodia. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 16(1), 50-53.
DOI Scopus4 Europe PMC4
2004 Amarasena, H. D. (2004). Effect of ambient temperature on recovery from muscular exercise.. Ceylon Journal of Medical Sciences.
2003 Amarasena, N., Ekanayaka, A. N., Herath, L., & Miyazaki, H. (2003). The smoking-periodontitis association in developing nations - Response. COMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, 31(2), 159-160.
DOI WoS1
2003 Amarasena, N., Ekanayaka, A. N., Herath, L., & Miyazaki, H. (2003). Socio-demographic risk indicators for tooth mortality in rural Sri Lankans. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 15(2), 105-110.
DOI Scopus9 Europe PMC7
2003 Amarasena, N., Ekanayaka, A. N. I., Herath, L., & Miyazaki, H. (2003). Association between smoking, betel chewing and gingival bleeding in rural Sri Lanka. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 30(5), 403-408.
DOI Scopus44 WoS38 Europe PMC37
2003 Hujoel, P., Amarasena, N., Ekanayaka, A. N., Herath, L., & Miyazaki, H. (2003). The smoking-periodontitis association in developing nations. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 31(2), 158.
DOI Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC5
2002 Amarasena, N., Ekanayaka, A. N. I., Herath, L., & Miyazaki, H. (2002). Tobacco use and oral hygiene as risk indicators for periodontitis. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 30(2), 115-123.
DOI Scopus81 WoS64 Europe PMC64
2002 Amarasena, N., Ikeda, N., Win, K. K. S., Yamaguchi, Y., Takehara, T., & Miyazaki, H. (2002). Periodontal status of rural inhabitants in Prek Russey, Cambodia. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health, 14(2), 105-109.
DOI Scopus4 Europe PMC2

Year Citation
2018 Amarasena, H., Yoshihara, A., & Miyazaki, H. (2018). Associations between serum vitamin C, serum calcium and periodontal disease in community-dwelling older adults in Japan.. In Proceedings of the International Collaborative Symposium on Development of Human Resources in Practical Oral Health and Treatment. Jakarta, Indonesia.
2017 Amarasena, H. D., Keuskamp, D., Balasubramanian, M., & Brennan, D. S. (2017). Health Behaviours and Quality of Life in South Australian Older Adults. In 57th Australian-New Zealand Division Annual Meeting, International Association for Dental Research (IADR-ANZ). Adelaide.
2016 Amarasena, H., Teusner, D., Chrisopoulos, S., Brennan, D., & Julie, S. (2016). Practice characteristics and service provision rates of dental hygienists in Australia. In Proceedings of the 2016 SA State Population Health Conference. Adelaide, South Australia: SA State Population Health.
2014 Amarasena, H. D., Kapellas, K., Skilton, M. R., Maple-Brown, L. J., & Jamieson, L. (2014). Associations with untreated dental caries experience among Aboriginal Australian adults.. In Proceedings - 2014 International Indigenous Oral Health Conference. Adelaide.
2014 Amarasena, H. D., & Kapellas, K. (2014). Healthy-user effect and routine dental attendance among Indigenous Australians. In L. Jamieson (Ed.), Proceedings - 92nd General Session and Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research. Cape Town, South Africa.
2012 Amarasena, H. D. (2012). Fissure sealant use in Australian School Dental Services (SDS). In D. Ha (Ed.), Proceedings - 52nd Australian / New Zealand Division Annual Meeting, International Association for Dental Research. Denarau, Fiji.
2011 Amarasena, H. D., & Roberts-Thomson, K. (2011). Periodontal health in an urban Indigenous population. In Proceedings - 51st Australian / New Zealand Division Annual Meeting, International Association for Dental Research. Melbourne, Australia.
2011 Amarasena, H. D. (2011). Impact of marginal contact of partial dentures on periodontal parameters. In Proceedings - 89th General Session and Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research. San Diego, California, United States of America.
2006 Amarasena, H. D. (2006). Serum calcium and periodontal disease progression in community-dwelling elderly.. In Journal of Dental Research. SAGE Publications (UK and US).
2003 Amarasena, N., Ekanayaka, A., Herath, L., & Miyazaki, H. (2003). Factors associated with tooth mortality in rural Sri Lankans.. In JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH Vol. 82 (pp. B208). INT AMER ASSOC DENTAL RESEARCHI A D R/A A D R.
2003 Amarasena, J., & Amarasena, N. (2003). Reliability of oral temperature measurements in assessing recovery from muscular exercise.. In JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH Vol. 82 (pp. B165). SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC.
2003 Ogawa, H., Yoshihara, A., Amarasena, N., & Miyazaki, H. (2003). Influence of tobacco smoking and the serum level of vitamin C on periodontal disease in elderly patients.. In JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH Vol. 82 (pp. B362). INT AMER ASSOC DENTAL RESEARCHI A D R/A A D R.
2002 Amarasena, N., Ekanayaka, A., Herath, L., & Miyazaki, H. (2002). Oral hygiene, tobacco and attachment loss - A Sri Lankan perspective.. In JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH Vol. 81 (pp. A371). INT AMER ASSOC DENTAL RESEARCHI A D R/A A D R.
2001 Amarasena, H. D. (2001). Smoking, betel chewing and gingivitis in rural Sri Lankans.. In Journal of Dental Research. SAGE Publications (UK and US).

Year Citation
2020 Hanna, K., Nair, R., Amarasena, H., Armfield, J., & Brennan, D. S. (2020). Temporomandibular dysfunction and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among Australian Adults. Poster session presented at the meeting of https://www.phaa.net.au/documents/item/4913. Adelaide: Puplic Health Association Australia.

Najith is currently one of the CIs of the Colgate Oral Care Grant and a member of the expert team that involved in a consultancy research contract with Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar on water fluoridation assessment. He has also been a part to the contract research grant which was obtained by the University of Adelaide from the Department of Health, Federal Government of Australia to review nutritional reference values for fluoride in Australia and New Zealand. 

 

Najith has been involved in teaching in the following courses.
• Community Dentistry 
• Geriatric Dentistry
• Evidence Based Dentistry II
• Population Health (Dental Science Practice 1)
• Social Context of Dentistry

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Co-Supervisor Oral Health and Aging: The Epidemiology of Periodontal disease and multi-morbidity Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Manisha Tamrakar
2025 Co-Supervisor Oral Health and Aging: The Epidemiology of Periodontal disease and multi-morbidity Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Manisha Tamrakar

Date Role Membership Country
2012 - ongoing - South Australian Sri Lankan Doctors Association -
2011 - ongoing - IADR -
2011 - ongoing - University of Adelaide Alumni Association -
2005 - ongoing - National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka -
2004 - ongoing - University of Peradeniya Alumni Association -
2003 - ongoing - Niigata Dental Society -
1994 - ongoing - College of Community Dentistry, Sri Lanka -
1988 - ongoing - Sri Lanka Dental Association -

Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
2013 - ongoing Board Member Journal of International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry - -
2013 - ongoing Board Member International Journal of Research in Medical and Health Sciences - -
2003 - ongoing Board Member Journal of Dental Health - -

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