Tiril Willumsen has a long history within clinical practice and research relating to dental anxiety. She defended her Dr. Odont thesis on the treatment of dental anxiety in 1999 and has since worked on psychological and other risk factors for increased poor oral health, including dental anxiety, sexual abuse, substance abuse, stoke, and dementia. From 2012 to 2016 she was head of a working group for a project aiming to provide adequate publicly financed treatment (both psychological and dental) to persons exposed to sexual abuse, torture, domestic violence, and odontophobia. The project now involves psychologists, dentists, dental secretaries, and dental hygienists in all counties of Norway. Dr. Willumsen is Professor in Behavioral Science and Dean at the Dental Faculty, University of Oslo, where she is responsible for behavioral science education of dental students and postgraduate courses for dentists.
Jostein Paul Årøen Lein is a specialist in clinical psychology. He has several years of experience working with anxiety patients in a dental clinic, with odontophobia and/or childhood traumas. He also has experience working in an inpatient hospital facility with patients suffering from severe mental disorders such as psychosis and personality disorders. He has been an editor and author of a Norwegian book on behavior science and psychological factors in a dental setting.
Ronald C. Gorter, PhD, is a psychologist specialised in social dentistry. He earned his doctorate in Psychology at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and is associate professor with the department of Social Dentistry & Behavioural Sciences of the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA). For two decades he teaches communication skills and behavioural aspects of working as a health professional to both dental students and graduated dentists. His research focuses on communication and career aspects of general dental practitioners, and more precisely on staff communication, work stress, burnout, and job satisfaction. Dr Gorter is (co-)author of over sixty Dutch and international professional and scientific publications.
Lena Myran is a specialist in clinical psychology. She has worked with adult patients both individually and interdisciplinarily since 2009, specializing during the past 5 years in patients with odontophobia, torture, and childhood traumas. She coedited and wrote chapters in the textbook “Odontologisk psykologi”. She has lectured students for 9 years and supervised health professionals for 5 years. She has developed methods, videos, and new digital tools for the treatment of odontophobia.
