PhD researcher in oral healthcare prevention in a hospital setting

Organisation/Company KU LEUVEN Department Biomedical sciences Research Field Medical sciences » Medicine Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Final date to receive applications 17 Aug 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number BAP
- Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

A healthy mouth is an integral part of a healthy body. Given the significant burden of disease associated with oral conditions, both the WHO and the Flemish Government have made oral health a priority. Consequently, a paradigm shift is needed from, curative to preventive oral care, and from the dental office to a broad collaboration on oral care involving a wide range of healthcare providers and other stakeholders (e.g., caregivers, teachers, etc.).

People end up in hospitals because they are (temporarily) less able to care for themselves, which puts their oral hygiene and thus their oral health re are also patients whose oral health influences their illness, treatment, and recovery. High-quality patient care requires integrated oral care, especially for these individuals.

The goal of this doctoral research is to evaluate oral care within the hospital setting. Based on this evaluation, you will develop and evaluate methodologies to promote oral health among hospital patients.

• Doctor of Medicine
• Dentist
• Paramedic with an additional master’s degree
• Dental hygienist or nurse with an additional master’s degree
• Master’s degree in Human or Biomedical Sciences
• You achieved honours during your studies. Please include a transcript of your final-year grades with your application.
• You have an excellent command of Dutch and a good command of English (both spoken and written).
• You have experience in academic literature research.
• You have an academic and fluent writing style. Please include any published articles with your application, if applicable.
• You are familiar with basic statistics. Knowledge of conducting statistical analyses in SPSS is a requirement. Experience with quantitative analysis using statistical software is a significant advantage.
• You are willing to develop skills in both quantitative (e.g. developing and analysing questionnaires) and qualitative (e.g. focus group discussions) research methods. Experience in this area is an advantage.
• You are able to convey knowledge in a pleasant and clear manner.
• You are curious and fascinated by the research topic.
• You are sociable and have good interpersonal skills.
• You have an analytical mind and are able to bring structure to a wealth of information.
• You are a constructive team player who is open to multidisciplinary consultation and feedback.
• You can work independently, demonstrate a sense of responsibility, and possess good organisational skills, meaning that tight deadlines are not a problem.

We are offering a full-time position for a period of four years, starting on 1 October 2026. The research must culminate in a doctoral thesis after four years. Our dynamic, multidisciplinary and professional team will support you in carrying out your research and obtaining your doctoral degree.