About Us
The Oral Health and Swallowing Research Lab team, currently led by Rebecca Affoo, investigates oral health, and swallowing. This includes the interrelationships between oral health, swallowing, and other factors such as frailty. While we are housed in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, our interprofessional focus means we collaborate with researchers and clinicians with expertise in dentistry, medicine, nutrition, and nursing. Our lab team aims to go beyond the physiology of swallowings processes to investigate the impact of oral health and swallowing on quality of life, and social vulnerability. Patient partners, community healthcare organizations, and the wider community are integral to our research activities.
Our Values
Collaborative
We believe in conducting research that includes the perspectives from members of the interprofessional team, members of our community, and members of the public who are impacted by the work we do.
Community
We believe that research has a greater impact when we prioritize the wants and needs of our community and include community members on our research team.
Impactful
We strive to conduct impactful research that contributes to improved health and quality of life for older adults.
Education
We understand the importance of integrated knowledge translation and disseminating research results in a format that benefits those who will ultimately use those findings. As such, we are committed to sharing knowledge with our community and anyone else who might benefit.
Gallery
Our Team
Who We Are
The OHSRL team is a diverse, interprofessional group with a broad range of expertise and experience. It would not be possible to do the work we do without our passionate team members!
Dr. Rebecca Affoo (she/her)
Primary Investigator
Dr. Rebecca Affoo a clinically certified speech-language pathologist, an assistant professor at Dalhousie University in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Health, and cross-appointed in the School of Dental Hygiene, Faculty of Dentistry. She is the Director of the Oral Health and Swallowing Research Laboratory. She is also a scholar with the Healthy Populations Institute (HPI) at Dalhousie University and a co-lead of the HPI flagship project Putting ‘Oral Health is Health’ into Action. The goal of her program of research is to improve the oral health, and speech and swallowing function of older adults through novel, interprofessional assessment and management practices.
Shauna Hachey (she/her)
Lab Director
Shauna Hachey is a registered dental hygienist and an Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University in the School of Dental Hygiene, Faculty of Dentistry. She is a scholar with the Healthy Populations Institute (HPI) and co-lead of the HPI flagship project, Putting' Oral Health is Health' into Action. Shauna is a Board Member and Treasurer of the Canadian Society for Disability and Oral Health, and Vice Chair of the NCOHR (Network for Canadian Oral Health and Research) Disability and Oral Health Working Group. Shauna’s research interests include the integration of oral health into primary and continuing care settings, and novel community-led oral health promotion and knowledge translation.
Juliana McLaren (she/her)
Lab Manager
Juliana McLaren, MSc SLP-Reg SLP(C) with professional interest in adult and pediatric swallowing, is a clinical speech-language pathologist and the manager of the Oral Health and Swallowing Lab. Providing evidence-based dysphagia rehabilitation informed by swallow physiology, principles of motor learning, and exercise science is her area of expertise. Juliana has presented at various conferences locally and internationally, and enjoys disseminating research in academic settings, and engaging in knowledge translation for the broader community. Her research interests include mastication, aging, frailty, oral health, and sensory impairments as they relate to dysphagia. Juliana feels very fortunate to be a part of an incredible team at the Oral Health and Swallowing Lab, and her favourite part of her role at the lab is the opportunity to mentor students.
Ani Brennan (she/her)
Research Assistant & Thesis Student
Ani Brennan BSc (Hons), MSc (in progress) is currently completing her Masters in Human Communication Disorders at Dalhousie University. Her master's thesis is investigating the relationship between oral processing and sensory perception in older adults, under the supervision of Dr. Rebecca Affoo. She is involved with the Oral Health and Swallowing Research Lab as a Research Assistant. Her current research interests include oral processing, motor programming, and dysphagia, with a growing interest in sensory perception research. Ani enjoys being able to apply classroom knowledge to her research and working with the diverse Halifax population and other lab members.
Hannah Crouse (she/they)
Research Assistant
Hannah Crouse BA (Hons), MA, PhD (in progress) is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at Carleton University, with research interests in aging, dementia, sexuality, housing, and end-of-life care. Hannah was introduced to the Oral Health and Swallowing Lab through a research assistant position with Shauna Hachey and has loved working with the lab ever since. Their favourite part of the lab is working with passionate scholars and students across a variety of disciplines.
Frank Day (he/him)
Research Assistant
Frank Day BSc, MSc (in progress) is a Masters student in Human Communication Disorders (Speech-Language Pathology) at the Dalhousie School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. His research interests include communication and swallowing participation and quality of life, sexual health and education, and socioeconomic determinants of communication and swallowing health. His current MSc thesis is investigating S-LP’s role in treating sexual health when impacted by communication or swallowing disorders. Frank is involved with the lab as a research assistant and enjoys contributing to research relevant to his field and interests, and working with other students and professionals who are excited about the ongoing research.
Pam Brown (they/them)
Research Assistant
Pam Brown BA, MSc (in progress) is a Masters student in Human Communication Disorders (Speech-Language Pathology) at the Dalhousie School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Their research interests are broad, including transgender voice care, communication and swallowing rehabilitation, language preservation and documentation, and dysphagia assessment and management. Pam's current MSc thesis focuses on understanding the acoustic properties of voice that change throughout testosterone hormone replacement therapy for trans masculine individuals. As a research assistant in the lab, Pam is excited to broaden their understanding of dysphagia, gain more experience conducting research, and contribute to the evergrowing field of SLP through a person-centred lens.
Catherine Sweet (she/her)
Research Assistant
Catherine Sweet, MA, SLP(C) is a specialist in Accent Addition and the phonology of North American English. She is the lead clinician at the Dalhousie Accent Clinic, and an adjunct professor in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She is interested in promoting whole-person approaches in speech pathology and working with high standards of professionalism and kindness.
Debbie Chan (she/her)
Research Assistant & Thesis Student
Debbie Chan, BSc, MSc (in progress), is a Masters student in Human Communication Disorders at Dalhousie University. She is interested in oral health, frailty, food safety & nutrition, dysphagia, and cultural and linguistic diversity. Her current MSc thesis under Dr. Affoo aims to explore the interaction between oral health factors and clinical frailty in Nova Scotian older adults. She finds joy in being part of this research group, where she works alongside amazing individuals with diverse perspectives. Through her involvement, she not only develops her research and professional skillset but also contributes to projects relevant to her field and interests.
Armin Hajizadeh (he/him)
Research Assistant
Armin Hajizadeh M.D. is an international family physician, emergency doctor, and clinical research assistant, known for his expertise in patient-centered approaches. With a background as an Iranian university instructor in Semiology, Armin has honed his skills in teaching and medical practice, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to his various roles. Notably, he has also served as a simulation lab assistant at Dalhousie University.