Rate My Professor Ellie Knight

Dr. Ellie Knight is a Professional Practice Fellow and specialist periodontist in the Discipline of Periodontics within the Department of Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Otago. She obtained her Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from the University of Otago in 2005, a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Periodontology) with Distinction in 2010, and a Doctorate in Clinical Dentistry (Periodontology) in 2013. Her doctoral thesis, 'Investigating the association between diabetes/smoking and periodontitis in the New Zealand adult population,' supervised by Professor W. Murray Thomson, Dr. Jonathan Leichter, and Dr. Andrew Tawse-Smith, culminated in the peer-reviewed article 'Quantifying the Association Between Self-Reported Diabetes and Periodontitis in the New Zealand Population' published in the Journal of Periodontology in 2015. After initial clinical experience in private and public dental practices in New Zealand and Australia, she pursued specialist training and has held roles including Colgate Senior Lecturer from 2014 to 2023. Currently, she engages in postgraduate clinical teaching, supervises Doctor of Clinical Dentistry students—such as those researching psychosocial aspects of periodontal disease (Horne, 2018) and parity-related oral health conditions (Morelli, 2019)—and maintains a private specialist practice at Knight Dental Specialists in Dunedin.

Dr. Knight's research specializations encompass periodontal epidemiology and qualitative investigations into the psychosocial dimensions of periodontal disease diagnosis, treatment, and maintenance, emphasizing the condition's negative impacts and the quality-of-life improvements from effective management. Notable publications include 'Does having children affect women's oral health? A longitudinal study' in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry (2022, co-authored with Morelli et al.) and 'Psychosocial aspects of periodontal disease diagnosis and treatment: A qualitative study' in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (2020, co-authored with Horne et al.). She has earned the Sir Thomas A. Hunter and University of Otago Doctoral Scholarships in 2013, First Prize in the Sir John Walsh Research Institute Postgraduate Research Presentation Award, and the Best Student Speaker award at the 2013 SJWRI Research Day. Her clinical expertise focuses on aesthetic soft tissue procedures, including gingival augmentation and root coverage. Dr. Knight holds registrations and memberships with the Dental Council of New Zealand, New Zealand Dental Association, Australian and New Zealand Academy of Periodontics, New Zealand Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and New Zealand Society of Sedation in Dentistry. She contributes to continuing professional education for dentists internationally and advises the Dental Council of New Zealand and ACC.