Personal profile
Short presentation
DDS in 2009, PhD in 2014, and dr. odont in 2018 from University of Copenhagen. Currently holds a position as Professor at Department of Odontology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen in section for Clinical Oral Microbiology.
Primary research area is to use contemporary molecular methods for characterization of the oral microbiome and the host response in oral and general health and disease. The aim is to evaluate the potential of using oral biomarkers for identification of oral and systemic diseases at preclinical stages of disease.
Current projects are carried out in collaboration with high profile international research institutions including Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (Singapore), Forsyth Institute, Harvard School of Dental Medicine (Boston, USA), University of Turku (Finland), as well as high profile national research centers, such as Costerton Biofilm Center the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Center Basic Metabolic Research, and the Globe Institute (Copenhagen, Denmark).
CV
Research interest
- Oral biofilms in oral health and disease
- Oral microbiome composition with systemic health and disease
- Multi-omics characterization of biofilms
- Influence of host genetic on microbiome composition
- Probiotics, prebiotics and symbiotics
Degrees and education
2018 Doctor Odontologiae (dr. odont), University of Copenhagen
2014 PhD, University of Copenhagen
2010 Dentist (DDS), Jus practicandi
2009 Cand. odont, University of Copenhagen
Current and previous positions
2023- Professor, Clinical Oral Microbiology, University of Copenhagen
2018-2023 Associate professor, Clinical Oral Microbiology, University of Copenhagen
2015-2018 Assistant professor, Section for Periodontology, University of Copenhagen
2015 Visiting researcher, Forsyth Institute, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston
2013 Visiting researcher, Forsyth Institute, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston
2010-2014 PhD student, Section for Periodontology, Aarhus and Copenhagen University
2009-2010 Research assistant, Institute for Inflammatory Research, Rigshospitalet
Pre-graduate teaching and course management
2021- Evaluation of foreign dentist to obtain license in Denmark (course leader)
2016- Theoretical courses in oral microbiology and periodontology (lecturer)
2015- Laboratory course in clinical oral microbiology (instructor)
2009- Clinical instructor, primarily periodontology (approx. 6 hours/week)
Supervision
2018- PhD students. Primary supervisor (2 current, 2 former)
2017- PhD students, Primary co-supervisor (2 current, 2 former)
2016- Bachelor- and master student projects (1 current, +20 former)
2012- Pregraduate research scholars (6 former)
Awards and honors
2019 Zendium Research Award
2017 Bagger-Sørensen Foundation Research Talent Award
2016 Award for best original paper published in 2016 in Oral Diseases (IF: 2.0)
2009 Colgate Award for highest grade point average, University of Copenhagen
Commission of trust (committees etc.)
2024 Dental consultant, Patienterstatningen
2024 External evaluator, applications for assistant professor, Aarhus University
2023 External evaluator, Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft
2022 Co-organizer of annual meeting for Scandinavian Society of Periodontology
2020 External evaluator, Czech research council
2019- Dental consultant, Appeal board of Insurance
2018- Member of committee for continued education (EUU), Danish Dental Association
2018-21 Member of OFU – internal research committee OI, KU
2018- Evaluator of multiple positions for associate professor at SUND, KU
2018-24 Dental consultant, Dental injury appeals board
2013 Co-organizer of annual meeting for Scandinavian Society of Periodontology
2011-14 Board member of YSCO (committee for young researchers), OI, KU
2011- Board member of Danish Association for Periodontology
Membership Editorial Boards and review jobs
2024- Editorial board member, Nutrients
2022- Associate editor, Journal of Oral Microbiology
2022- Review editor, Frontiers in Oral Health
2022 Guest editor of special issue “The salivary microbiome in health and disease” in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
2018- Editorial board member, Acta Odontologica Scandinavia
2011- Peer review for +35 different international journals. Approx. 20 reviews per year
Funding and grants in the last 5 years
2024-2027 Strategic collaborative PhD grant, University of Copenhagen 1.500.000 DKK
2023-2024 Novo Nordic Foundation, research scholar grant 150.000 DKK
2021-2024 Internal grant ADM, Industrial PhD 3.500.000 DKK
2021-2024 Innovation Fund Denmark, Industrial PhD 1.072.000 DKK
2021-2014 Strategic collaborative PhD grant, University of Copenhagen 1.500.000 DKK
2021-2024 Strategic collaborative PhD grant, University of Copenhagen 1.500.000 DKK
2019-2021 Internal grant Bifodan, research scholar 750.000 DKK 2018-2027 Multiple research scholar grants, Independent Research Fund 600.000 DKK
In addition, more than 2.5 M DKK in running costs covered by research collaborators.
Bibliometrics
Scopus: 03-09-2024, https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=37067049600
Number of publications: 49
Number of citations: 1847 citations from 1474 documents
H-index: 26
Education/Academic qualification
dr. odont, dr. odont
Award Date: 8 Aug 2018
PhD, PhD
Award Date: 18 Jun 2014
DDS, DDS
Award Date: 16 Jun 2009
External positions
Patienterstatningen
1 Sept 2024 → …
NORD specialtandlæger
1 Nov 2023 → …
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Research output
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Childhood oral health is associated with the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in adulthood
Nygaard, N., D'Aiuto, F., Eriksen, A. K., Olsen, A., Stankevic, E., Ängquist, L., Hansen, T., Belstrøm, D. & Markvart, M., 2026, In: International Journal of Cardiology. 448, 7 p., 134151.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)21 Downloads (Pure) -
Evidence-Based Mouth and Oral Health Individualised Treatment Plan in Adults With Acquired Brain Injury: A Cluster Nonrandomized Controlled Trial
Kothari, M., Alves-Costa, S., Nascimento, G. G., Belstrøm, D. M., Aadal, L., Nielsen, J. F. & Kothari, S. F., 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Oral Rehabilitation. 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Periodontal microbiology and microbial etiology of periodontal diseases: Historical concepts and contemporary perspectives
Belibasakis, G. N., Belstrøm, D., Eick, S., Gursoy, U. K., Johansson, A. & Könönen, E., 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Periodontology 2000. 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review › peer-review
Open Access136 Citations (Scopus) -
The genomic history of Streptococcus mutans from the Mesolithic until modern times
Thygesen, V. F. D. F., Farahani, M. F., Nielsen, S. H., Constancias, F., Givskov, M., Abranches, J., Scorrano, G., Jørkov, M. L. S., Ebrahimi, G., Bendezu-Sarmiento, J. C., Demeter, F., Kristiansen, K., Belstrøm, D. & Sikora, M., 2026, In: Genome Biology. 27, 1, 19 p., 136.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
A nationwide registry-based cohort study of the association between childhood dental caries and gingivitis with type 2 diabetes in adulthood
Nygaard, N., Eriksen, A. K., Ängquist, L., Belstrøm, D., Stankevic, E., Hansen, T., Olsen, A. & Markvart, M., 2025, In: Acta Diabetologica. 62, 8, p. 1195-1204 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (Scopus)15 Downloads (Pure) -
Effect of Synbiotic and Postbiotic Supplements on Dental Caries and Periodontal Diseases — A Comprehensive Review
Twetman, S. & Belstrøm, D., 2025, In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 22, 1, 10 p., 72.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review › peer-review
Open AccessFile11 Citations (Scopus)12 Downloads (Pure) -
Exploring the salivary proteome following intraglandular mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for radiation-induced hyposalivation in previous head and neck cancer patients: a secondary study protocol for the MESRIX-III, randomised, controlled trial
Carlander, A.-L. F., Jakobsen, K. K., Jersie-Christensen, R., Hansen, J., Bendtsen, S. K., Kastrup, J., Belstrøm, D., Lynggard, C. D., Grønhøj, C. & von Buchwald, C., 2025, In: Trials. 26, 7 p., 554.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile12 Downloads (Pure) -
High prevalence of antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus species in saliva from non-hospitalized adults – a pilot study
Dollas, M. N., Nilsson, M., Larsen, T., Nygaard, N., Moser, C. & Belstrøm, D., 2025, In: Journal of Oral Microbiology. 17, 1, 8 p., 2486647.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)21 Downloads (Pure)