Bridging Research and Practice: MCPHS Alum Champions Better Pediatric Dental Care

Dr. Samantha Farrar’s newly published work highlights the benefits of silver diamine fluoride in pediatric dentistry.

Two years after graduating from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), Dr. Samantha Farrar’s research project, which she worked on throughout her time at the University, has been published in a dental hygienist journal.

A 2022 Doctor of Health Sciences graduate, Dr. Farrar holds a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene and a master’s in public health. At MCPHS, she sought to leverage her education and background in pediatric dentistry. She collaborated with Dr. Lori Rainchuso, DHSc, MS, RDH, in the School of Arts and Sciences to research the clinical benefits of silver diamine fluoride, a type of fluoride that can quickly arrest tooth decay when applied by a dentist or a hygienist. Earlier this year, their work was published in Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. They found that while helpful, especially in pediatrics, silver diamine fluoride is not widely used in clinical practice.

“I knew that I wanted to target the pediatric population because of my background. But Dr. Rainchuso really helped me narrow down where I can make a difference,” Dr. Farrar said.

To write the article with Dr. Rainchuso, Dr. Farrar conducted studies to statistically summarize current research on the efficacy of silver diamine fluoride. She was particularly interested in its usefulness for treating children with special needs, such as attention deficit disorders or anxiety, partly due to her own experience with these children and their parents and caretakers. Applying silver diamine fluoride is usually quick and painless. One potential downside is the stain it leaves on teeth, but Dr. Farrar noted the trade-off can be worthwhile for children who have difficulty undergoing long examinations.

“The chances of tooth decay for children with special needs is much higher. Because they can have sensory issues, they may not be able to get things in their mouth to brush or floss,” she said. “Decreasing the trauma of restoratives in a chair really was special to me, because I've been in that field and I’ve heard them crying, and it definitely pulls at the strings of my heart.”

Ultimately, Dr. Farrar found that using silver diamine fluoride is a safe and effective option in pediatric care. But according to her, silver diamine fluoride can benefit more than just children.

“The trauma goes down, as does the time in the chair. That's big not only for the pediatric population, but also the geriatric population—those that are in senior care. So public health-wise, there's lots of populations that can benefit,” she said.

Dr. Farrar said she aims to raise awareness of silver diamine fluoride as a treatment option among practitioners, patients, and their families. To support this goal, the research article includes a flowchart she developed to help clinicians decide which type of treatment to use.

“I've interacted with a lot of parents of my patients when I was in pediatrics. Silver diamine fluoride was always an option that was on the table, but I don't think they knew enough about it to accept it right off the bat. So, bringing awareness to not only them, but also dental professionals, because a lot of us haven't worked with this product, is something that we talk about,” Dr. Farrar said.

Besides working as a clinician, Dr. Farrar is an educator at the College of DuPage in Illinois, where she teaches clinical and continuing education courses. Having experienced the research process firsthand, she said she wants to support her students who aspire to conduct their own research.

“Hopefully I can see some of them graduate with doctorates one day,” she said.

And the publication of her research has opened up even more doors. Several dental journals have invited her to serve as a peer reviewer for other studies. She said it’s given her a new appreciation for the researchers who peer-reviewed her article.

“Now I know why it took so long,” she said.