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Research Areas:

Dr. MacDonald's main research areas are systematic review in diagnostic radiology and Barrett's oesophagus, radiological pathology of the face and jaws (including incidental findings), scleroderma, educational research in radiology, infection control and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The Barrett's review has been adopted by the NHS in the UK. He was radiology lead in the CIHR Canada-wide study on scleroderma, the largest yet to date. Other largest –to-date case series are of incidental findings on dental panoramic radiographs and on lateral cephalograms, and on lymphomas of the jaws. Furthermore, the largest case series that displayed CBCT superiority over conventional radiography with regards, to diagnostic and therapeutic impacts (high tiers on Fryback and Thornbury’s 6-tier hierarchy for the efficacy of diagnostic imaging) in endodontics.

The 2003/2004 SARS pandemic coincided with Dr. MacDonald’s arrival at UBC and the building of the Oral Health Centre. As a result the infection control of all digital radiographic systems was optimised, including the intraoral phosphor-plate bagging system. Dr. MacDonald, at the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic played a lead role in radiology’s response. He was lead author of the 2021 AAOMR’s guidelines and was invited to update them in 2022’s Int. Dent. J’s ‘New normal radiology’ in order to assist the global dental profession’s return to offering as full a service to their patients.

Teaching Areas:

Dr. MacDonald's principle teaching area is diagnostic radiology of the face and jaws, including cone-beam computed tomography, in the undergraduate and graduate curriculums. The core text especially written for all diagnostic radiology teaching at UBC dentistry is his successful textbook 'Oral and maxillofacial radiology: a diagnostic approach' published by Wiley. This was updated in 2020 and included contributions from medical radiologists, functional imaging physicians and a radiation oncologist (IBSN 9781119218708).

Since the acquisition of radiological skill essential to the practising dentist, whether generalist or specialist, cannot be simply acquired by osmosis, active approaches to ‘student –centred learning’ are employed by OMFR teachers at UBC Dentistry. Teaching in the undergraduate courses is by assessed Socratic-style (question and answer) lectures and small-group sessions, and by examinations solely based on conventional radiological and CBCT cases. Teaching in the graduate (dental specialty) courses is by small group (based on specialties) presentations delivered in the manner similar to business-school and law-school programs.

BACKGROUND (qualifications, expertise, skills and major affiliations)

• Credentialed specialist - Specialist Registrar in Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology (OMFR) at King's College Hospital, London, & Royal College of Radiologists. Fellowship in OMFR of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada (FRCDC).
• Credentialed twice in adult pedagogy (U.Bergen and UBC); Award for excellence in teaching. (Dentistry) 2017.
• Graduated: Research DDS by thesis (equivalent to a North American PhD dissertation), University of Edinburgh.
• Chair, Division of OMFR UBC & Fmr Senator: UBC (2015-20) & Regent Theo. Col. (2016-21) & ABP (2021-24)
• Editorial roles present and recent in all 4 international OMFR journals (OOOO, DMFR, ORRA & ISD), IDJ & GOMC.
• Fmr Commission of Dental Accreditation of Canada as Dental Specialties Representative. (2013-2018)
• Fmr North American Director; International Association of Dento-Maxillo-Facial Radiology (IADMFR) (2017-2023).

LEADERSHIP

• Lead author of 1st & AAOMR guidelines on OMFR use in COVID (OOOO, 2021) and its update (IDJ, 2022).
• Led OMFR in appointments at the Universities of Hong Kong, of Edinburgh, of Bergen and at UBC.
• Radiology Lead at UBC for wholly digital radiography establishment incorporating an electronic patient record based on MacDonald's 'hierarchy for authorization.' This introduced unique QA stages, which enhance patient care.
• Facilitated installation of first Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) in a Canadian dental institution (UBC) in 2004.
• Leads provincially, nationally and internationally in the appropriate use of CBCT.
 

RESEARCH

(CBCT & jaw lesions, systematic review, Barrett's esophagus, oral scleroderma, infection control) (Scopus h-index = 34; Google Scholar h-index 43; i10 90)

TEN MOST IMPORTANT PAPERS out of OVER 110 PAPERS PUBLISHED
1st author in 38%, last author in 9% and single author in 33% (Scopus).

1. MacDonald-Jankowski DS. Fibro-osseous lesions of the face and jaws. Clinical Radiology 2004; 59: 11-25. 3rd most downloaded article for 2003/2004 & 8th for 2014. Impact Factor is 3.4. Cited 408 times by Google & 192 times by Scopus.
2. Gharahkjani P, ..., MacDonald D, ..., Jankowski J, Schumacher J. Genome-wide association studies in oesophageal adenocarcinoma and Barrett's oesophagus: a large-scale meta-analysis. Lancet Oncology. 2016; 17:1363-1373. Cited 217 times by Google and 154 times by Scopus.
3. MacDonald-Jankowski DS. Fibrous dysplasia: a systematic review. Dentomaxillofacial Radiology. 2009; 38: 198-215. Revealed the demographic, clinical, radiological and long-term outcomes of this important fibro-osseous lesion affecting the four global groups representing humanity. Impact factor is 3.5. Cited 198 times by Google & 110 times by Scopus.
4. Bryant R, MacDonald-Jankowski DS, Kim K. Does the type of implant prosthesis affect outcomes for the completely edentulous arch? International Journal of Oral Maxillofacial Implants 2007; 22 suppl: 117-139. The first systematic review to reveal the long-term outcomes of dental implants. Cited 197 times by Google & 95 times by Scopus.
5. Bennett C*, Moayyedi P*, ..., MacDonald D, …, Jankowski J. BOB CAT, a large-scale evidence review and consensus statements for management of Barrett's esophagus with no dysplasia, indefinite for, or low grade dysplasia, based on a Delphi Process. American Journal of Gastroenterology 2015;110: 662-682. The largest systematic review ever published, addressing multiple research questions. Cited 185 times by Google & 130 times by Scopus.
6. Palles C, ..., MacDonald D, ..., Jankowski J. Polymorphisms near TBX5 & GDF7 are associated with increased risk for Barrett's esophagus. Gastroenterology 2015;148: 367-378. Cited 134 times by Google & 97 times by Scopus.
7. MacDonald-Jankowski DS. Keratocystic odontogenic tumour: systematic review. Dentomaxillofacial Radiology. 2011;40:1-23. Revealed the demographic, clinical, radiological and long-term outcomes of this important lesion affecting the four global groups representing humanity. Cited 145 times by Google & 80 times by Scopus.
8. MacDonald DS. Maxillofacial fibro-osseous lesions. Clinical Radiology. 2015;70:25-36. Invited by the Editor-In-Chief to update 1. The first paper to cover the role of CBCT in the diagnosis and assessment of an important group of lesions. Cited 120 times by Google & 76 times by Scopus.
9. MacDonald DS et al. Diagnosis and management of calcified carotid artery atheroma: dental perspectives. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology 2012: 114: 533-547. The first report to place the importance of these lesions in a medical context. MacDonald initiated this and led a team of UBC/Vancouver General Hospital medical and US dental radiologists. Cited 101 times by Google & 64 times by Scopus. Basis for recent Cardiology study. Mai V…MacDonald D, Luong C. 2014. Am J Prev Cardiol. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpc.2024.100714.
10. Baron M, Hudson M, Dagenais M, MacDonald D, ..., Gornitsky M. The Canadian Systemic Sclerosis Oral Health Study V: Relationship between disease characteristics and oral radiologic findings in systemic sclerosis. Arthritis Care and Research (Hoboken) 2015. doi: 10.1002/acr.22739. This Canadian Institutes of Health Research study is the largest Scleroderma study published. 2^nd paper in Oral Surgery etc (2015). Cited 67 times by Google & 38 by Scopus.
 

BOOK accompanies all OMFR teaching at UBC Faculty of Dentistry

'Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology: a Diagnostic Approach' Wiley-Blackwell. 2011. ISBN: 978-0-8138-1414-8. Reviewed by:
1. Dr. Wenzel wrote in the Danish Dental Journal (Tandlaegebladet 2011) that
"This is not a traditional textbook in [oral and maxillofacial] radiology since there is an emphasis on description of high-tech imaging techniques such as CT scanning, magnetic resonance, positron emission tomography and ultrasound."
2. Drs. Danforth and Mah stated in the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics (2012) that
"As Dr. David MacDonald states in his preface, "The purpose of this textbook is to guide diagnosticians of all skill levels in generating a diagnosis of lesions affecting the face and jaws. This goal is thoroughly accomplished in 18 chapters divided across four major subject areas."
"All chapters include high-quality illustrations with concise, readable legends, along with excellent decision-making flow charts to help guide the reader through the interpretive process."
"Each topic is well referenced with current evidence-based studies and epidemiological data that can be useful in identifying radiographic lesions and developing differential diagnoses."
3. Dr. Tong wrote in the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (2012)
"Overall, this work presents a large volume of information in 351 easily readable pages. It contains updated information on most aspects of maxillofacial imaging in one text. The different parts of the book can be studied separately, according to the needs of the individual clinician."
"The superb image quality and succinct texts make it easy to recommend to dental practitioners, maxillofacial specialist and residents embarking on their careers."

Wiley requested a 2nd Edition of this textbook directed also to medical radiologists. ISBN 9781119218708 Year of publication 2020.

EDUCATION

• Progressive approach to teaching; wholly evidenced-based and student-centered learning. Textbook was especially written to complement all OMFR courses at UBC.
• Creative approach to curriculum development. The graduate course (DENT 756) class participation is modelled on the business-school group-presentation format.
• A creator of the 'Education Track' (E.T.) in international OMFR (IADMFR) in 2017, launched in 2019.
• E.T's Inaugural lecture-Webinar (OMF Lymphomas) under the auspices of the British Institute of Radiology, June 2021.
 

IMPACT

• Paper 1. (see above) corrected the longstanding medical misunderstanding that fibrous dysplasia of the jaw was a tumour.
• Unique system of systematic review has not only been used by others, but also frequently cited.
• MacDonald's unique division of humanity into global groups has revealed the significant differences that can exist between them. See tables in chapters 9 & 10 in the aforementioned textbook.
• MacDonald is the lead author on CBCT and maxillofacial diagnosis (Chapter 15; nearly 100 pages) in Springer's 2018 "Maxillofacial Cone Beam Computed Tomography Principles, Techniques and Clinical Applications" (Eds) Scarfe & Angelopoulos. (31 chapters over 1200 pages); ISBN 978-3-319-62061-9.
• MacDonald is the head author (project initiator & supervisor) who addressed CBCT and endodontics in the higher efficacy steps in Fryback & Thornbury's hierarchy (Int Endo J. 2021;: 54; 26–37. doi: 10.1111/iej.13397). Google 77; Scopus 55.
• Paper 9. Led to cardiology collaboration and publication in Am. J Prev. Cardiol. 2020. (see Ref 106).
• Dentistry's contribution to general health-care; CCAA, Barrett's esophagus & CBCT and nasopharynx.