Joni Nelson, Ph.D.

As a Health Promotion, Education and Behavioral research interventionist, I have significant expertise in population oral health equity with an emphasis on rural public health, healthcare services, and planning and evaluation research. I have designed and conducted multiple studies using quality improvement science to investigate the adoption of oral health interprofessional competencies into (a) primary care, (b) home visitation programs, and (c) pre-doctoral dental training programs to reduce oral health disparities. In addition to a background in public health science, I have leadership experience in oral health interprofessional practice and behaviors. I facilitate the Safetynet Dental Certificate Program for pre-doctoral trainees and dental practitioners, a program designed to elevate leadership skillsets in the areas of dental practice, research and education. I was also the co-investigator on a HRSA/Bureau of Health Professions Pre-doctoral Training in General, Pediatric, and Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene Grant, entitled, Rural Oral health ADvancements ThRough Interprofessional training Program (ROADTRIP). My leadership in qualitative analytics and health services equity research has also led to improvements in state policies. I currently serve as SC Medicaid’s oral health analytical partner and the PI of QUAlitative Design (QUAD) Corp. The QUAD Corp provides evidence-based consultation for qualitative research and evaluation and is part of MUSC’s community engagement core. I serve on MUSC’s Institutional Review Board II and have a secondary appointment in the Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, where I provide instruction on qualitative research methods, program evaluation and implementation science. Currently, I am the Co-Lead for the Planning and Evaluation Core, for the Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) South Carolina Cancer Disparities Research Center (SC CADRE), (#1U54CA210963-01A1), which is responsible for conducting rigorous planning and evaluation of activities within and across SC CADRE’s progress in research, research education, and outreach.