Research/Areas of Interest
Public Health and Oral Health Equity; Geriatric Dentistry and Successful Aging; Special Care Dentistry; Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice; Social Determinants of Health and Access to Care; Dementia and Neurodivergence in Dental Care; Aging and Disability Simulation; Experiential Learning and Virtual Reality in Dental Education; Health Care Policy and Reimbursement.
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Anatomy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 1990
- Doctorate of Medical Dentistry, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, US, 1994
- Master 's of Public Health in Health Care Management, Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston, US, 1995
Biography
Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Dr. Karin V. Arsenault earned a Bachelor of Science in Anatomy from McGill University, a Doctor of Dental Medicine from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 1994, and a Master of Public Health in Health Care Management from Harvard University in 1995. She also completed a mini-residency in Geriatric and Long-Term Care at the University of Minnesota and holds a certificate in Elder Care Law from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
Dr. Arsenault is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Service at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Director of the Geriatric Dentistry Program, and holder of the Dr. Hilde Tillman, D49, Endowed Professorship in Geriatric Dentistry. She joined the department in 2019, served as Interim Chair from July 2021 to January 2022, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2024. Her educational leadership encompasses the geriatric dentistry course, community service-learning rotation, trauma-informed care instruction, and geriatric education for dental public health residents.
Dr. Arsenault leads the population-based Oral Health and Aging initiative, which advances successful aging and access to care for vulnerable and underserved adults aged 50 and older in Greater Boston. Her work integrates behavioral, social, cultural, economic, and environmental considerations into person-centered care. Her research interests include oral health disparities, social determinants of health, telehealth and teledentistry, intraoral technologies for patient education, and educational approaches that prepare providers to care for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
She served as Principal Investigator for the NextFifty Initiative and contributes to a HRSA-funded program addressing the complexities of oral health care for vulnerable and underserved populations. These efforts emphasize interprofessional teamwork, cultural competence, health literacy, and coordinated care. She also mentors student community outreach through Smiles for Life initiative, which provides oral health education and resources to older adults and caregivers in nursing home and community settings.
As Principal Investigator of the Tufts Springboard-funded project, "Walking in Their Shoes," Dr. Arsenault examined changes in dental students' awareness, confidence, and understanding following aging and disability simulation. Her work now includes immersive virtual reality education focused on dementia and neurodivergence, supported by the Dr. Hilde Tillman Foundation. She is developing and evaluating a collaborative VR platform and standardized patient cases that address communication, treatment planning, clinical decision-making, and care of medically and cognitively complex patients.
Her recent scholarship includes "Aging and Disability Simulation in Dental Education: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Student Perceptions," accepted for publication in the European Journal of Dental Education in 2026. She has also developed a 10-module oral health education series for psychiatry residents and contributed to the development and evaluation of national entrustable professional activities for predoctoral geriatric dental education.
Dr. Arsenault's honors include the 2024 Tufts Teaching with Technology Award, recognition by the Robert Andrews Society for outstanding research and scholarship in 2025, and the 2023 Dr. Ron Ettinger Award from the Special Care Dentistry Association. She became a Fellow of the American College of Dentists in 2021 and the Pierre Fauchard Academy in 2023.
Her professional leadership includes service as Chair of the American Dental Association's Public Health and Prevention Subcommittee from 2019 to 2024, ADA Faculty and Fluoride Ambassador roles, and leadership as Chair of the American Dental Education Association's Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Education. She serves on the board of the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry withi …
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Dr. Arsenault is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Service at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Director of the Geriatric Dentistry Program, and holder of the Dr. Hilde Tillman, D49, Endowed Professorship in Geriatric Dentistry. She joined the department in 2019, served as Interim Chair from July 2021 to January 2022, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2024. Her educational leadership encompasses the geriatric dentistry course, community service-learning rotation, trauma-informed care instruction, and geriatric education for dental public health residents.
Dr. Arsenault leads the population-based Oral Health and Aging initiative, which advances successful aging and access to care for vulnerable and underserved adults aged 50 and older in Greater Boston. Her work integrates behavioral, social, cultural, economic, and environmental considerations into person-centered care. Her research interests include oral health disparities, social determinants of health, telehealth and teledentistry, intraoral technologies for patient education, and educational approaches that prepare providers to care for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
She served as Principal Investigator for the NextFifty Initiative and contributes to a HRSA-funded program addressing the complexities of oral health care for vulnerable and underserved populations. These efforts emphasize interprofessional teamwork, cultural competence, health literacy, and coordinated care. She also mentors student community outreach through Smiles for Life initiative, which provides oral health education and resources to older adults and caregivers in nursing home and community settings.
As Principal Investigator of the Tufts Springboard-funded project, "Walking in Their Shoes," Dr. Arsenault examined changes in dental students' awareness, confidence, and understanding following aging and disability simulation. Her work now includes immersive virtual reality education focused on dementia and neurodivergence, supported by the Dr. Hilde Tillman Foundation. She is developing and evaluating a collaborative VR platform and standardized patient cases that address communication, treatment planning, clinical decision-making, and care of medically and cognitively complex patients.
Her recent scholarship includes "Aging and Disability Simulation in Dental Education: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Student Perceptions," accepted for publication in the European Journal of Dental Education in 2026. She has also developed a 10-module oral health education series for psychiatry residents and contributed to the development and evaluation of national entrustable professional activities for predoctoral geriatric dental education.
Dr. Arsenault's honors include the 2024 Tufts Teaching with Technology Award, recognition by the Robert Andrews Society for outstanding research and scholarship in 2025, and the 2023 Dr. Ron Ettinger Award from the Special Care Dentistry Association. She became a Fellow of the American College of Dentists in 2021 and the Pierre Fauchard Academy in 2023.
Her professional leadership includes service as Chair of the American Dental Association's Public Health and Prevention Subcommittee from 2019 to 2024, ADA Faculty and Fluoride Ambassador roles, and leadership as Chair of the American Dental Education Association's Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Education. She serves on the board of the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry withi …