Vaishali Singhal, DMD
Dr. Singhal investigates why individuals with serious mental illness experience significantly poorer oral health than the general population and develops strategies to reduce these disparities. Her research examines both patient-related barriers and healthcare system barriers while promoting collaboration between dental and mental health professionals.
Research Overview
Integrating Dental and Mental Healthcare
A major area of her work examines the causes of poor oral health among people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and other serious mental illnesses. Contributing factors include:
Reduced access to dental care
Side effects of psychiatric medications (such as dry mouth)
Cognitive and motivational challenges
Dental anxiety and stigma
Financial and insurance barriers
Limited provider training in treating individuals with mental illness
Her research demonstrates that these barriers contribute to higher rates of untreated dental disease and delayed care.
Research Team
The people behind the science
Michelle Zechner, PhD
Associate Professor
michelle.zechner@rutgers.edu
Vaishali Singhal, DMD
Associate Professor
singhava@rutgers.edu
Funding & Grants
Supported Research Programs
Federal, foundation, and institutional funding advancing predictive modeling of treatment responses
New Jersey Health Foundation
$14,426
Investigating Oral Health Disparities Between Dental Patients With and Without Mental Health Conditions
Learn More
- April 2024 to April 2026
Publications & Impact
Selected Research Publications
2025
Leveraging big electronic data to identify oral care disparities in individuals with serious mental illness
Singhal, V., Jia, Y., Gao, N., York, J., Gold-Rosenbach, M., Ginu, N., Arya, R., Patel, J.S.
Academy of General Dentistry
2025
A co-produced mixed methods protocol: exploring perceptions of oral health care and quality of life in people with mental health conditions
Zechner,M., Jia, Y., Hill, N., Kasper, A., York,J., Singhal,V.,Rothpletz-Puglia,P.
PLOS ONE, 20(1)
2024
A novel oral medicine-centered interprofessional curricular initiative to promote collaboration and build oral health capacity
Fatahzadeh, M., Sabato, E., Singhal, V., Wagner, M., & Fenesy, K.
Journal of Dental Education
2023
Dental pre-doctoral student perceptions about serious mental illness: Concerns and role clarification
Zechner, Singhal, V., Murphy, A. A., York, J., Karyczak, S., & Muhammad, A.
. Journal of Dental Education
2022
Exploring Dental Students’ Perceptions of Mental Illness to Address Unmet Needs
Zechner, M. Singhal, V., Murphy, A.A., Karyczak, S.
The Open Dentistry Journal
Get Involved
Join our Research
Interested in advancing your research? Reach out to Dr. Singhal
to learn more about opportunities to get involved.
