Home Home Walter J. Psoter, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Walter J. Psoter, D.D.S., Ph.D.

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Credentials
Research
Publications

About Me

Dr. Walter J. Psoter was awarded a National Health Service Corps scholarship in 1977 and received his DDS (New York University, 1979). In 1979-80 he was a dental general practice resident at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, NY. On completion of his residency he entered the U.S. Public Health Service (1980-83) stationed at the Belvis Community Health Center in the South Bronx, NY. Subsequently (1983-1997) he was a dental director and attending dentist at the Roslindale Community Health Center, Boston, MA, the Belchertown and Monson Tuft's Dental Clinics for the Developmentally Disabled, and Rhode Island Hospital. In 1997 he was awarded a 5-year National Research Service Award Fellowship and received his PhD (Yale, 2001) in Epidemiology. On completion of his Fellowship in 2002, Dr. Psoter was appointed Assistant Professor at New York University College of Dentistry and Associate Professor in 2008. In 2002 he was appointed Associate Professor, University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico, a position he continues to hold. Dr. Psoter was Director of Dental Research, NYU-Lutheran Medical Center from 2013 through 2016 when he joined the URMC as an Associate Professor.

Dr. Psoter is a member of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (since 1983) and the International and American, Associations of Dental Research. He has served as an NIH and HRSA grant reviewer and manuscript reviewer for numerous biomedical journals. He is the author or co-author of over 50 peer-reviewed publications, two book chapters and five reports to Pan American Health Organization, NIH-NIDCR, U.S. Department of Justice and Homeland Security, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer.

Through most of his career, Dr. Psoter has conducted statistical courses for graduate students and post-docs. In the NYU Master in Global Public Health program for health care professionals, Dr. Psoter taught Public Health Research and Practice in less-developed countries, a course based on his international research experiences.

Dr. Psoter's research portfolio includes malnutrition, dental caries and other oral outcomes, disaster and catastrophic event (WMD) public health response, and a current focus on head and neck cancer screening, and head and neck cancer patients' quality of life during and following treatment.

Faculty Appointments

Professor (Part-Time) - Department of Dentistry (SMD)

Credentials

Post-doctoral Training & Residency

General Practice Dental Resident
Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester,
Rochester, NY 1979 - 1980

Education

PhD | Yale University. Epidemiology. 2001

DDS | New York University. Dentistry. 1979

BS | Northeastern University. Biology. 1975

Awards

Endowed Visiting Professor in Epidemiology, University of Puerto Rico. 2007 - 2008

Community Service Award. 1996

Dunning Award for Outstanding Contributions to Public Health Dentistry. 1989

Commendation for services to the elderly and institutionalized. 1988

Alumni Medal for Highest Scholastic Average. 1979

Alpha Omega Fraternity Award for Highest Scholastic Standing. 1979

Award for Academic Achievements and Outstanding Leadership in Student Activities. 1979

Valedictorian,. 1979

N.Y.U. Class of 1950 Award for Highest Scholastic Average during freshman year. 1976

Research

Dr. Walter Psoter is a dentist (DDS, New York University) and Epidemiologist (PhD, Yale University). He has extensive clinical experience in community health and special care dentistry. He is an Associate Professor Department of Dentistry, UR School of Medicine and Dentistry. His research interests are currently focused on head and neck cancer in the areas of secondary and tertiary prevention. Dr. Psoter's research is on increasing the quality and frequency of oral cancer screening examinations, and utilizing the clinical tool the Patient Concerns Inventory for head and neck cancer as a mechanism to increase quality of life during and after head and neck cancer treatment.

Prior research by Dr. Psoter has been internationally orientated and has included studies on malnutrition, dental caries and other oral outcomes, disaster and catastrophic events' (WMD) public health response. He has been extensively involved with research and research infrastructure development with the University of Puerto Rico where he holds an Associate Professor appointment.

Dr. Psoter has been principal investigator on several multi-national, multi-center, multi-, and inter-disciplinary NIH-funded research: (R01) Early childhood protein energy malnutrition and oral outcomes in Haiti, (R21) Increasing Oral Cancer screening by dentists; and co-investigator on: (WHO/PAHO) First Basic Oral Health Survey in Haiti, (U24) UPR: Project RIPCOHD (Research Infrastructure Pathway Centered on Oral Health Disparities), (U54) Risk Factors for Oral Epithelial Dysplasia in Puerto Rico, (U54) Qualitative Study Exploring Late Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices Related to Late Diagnoses of Oral Cancer, and a (HRSA) UPRSD Hispanic Center of Excellence Focused on Health Disparities. Additionally, he was PI on an R01 equivalent project related to to catastrophic events from WMDs and other disaster responses, which was funded by the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security.

Dr. Psoter is PI of a NIH-NIDCR funded National Dental Practice-Based Research Network on a project to determine the Common practices of oral cancer examinations through 2018, and is a co-investigator of a HRSA faculty development grant through 2021. His research portfolio of current and past grants is composed of 19 grants (one WHO/PAHO, one Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, two Health Resources and Services Administration, and 15 NIH research and research infrastructure development.

Publications

Journal Articles

The Head and Neck Cancer Patient Concern Inventory : Patient Concerns' Prevalence, Dental Concerns' Impact, and Relationships of Concerns with Quality of Life Measures.

Aguilar ML, Sandow P, Werning JW, Brenneman L, Psoter WJ

Journal of prosthodontics : official journal of the American College of Prosthodontists.. 2017 April 26 (3):186-195. Epub 02/21/2017.

Delayed tooth emergence in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Psoter WJ, Nelson EM, Psoter KJ, Dearing BA, Katz RV, Catalanotto F

Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology.. 2016 October 122 (4):442-7. Epub 06/29/2016.

Association of Radiographically Diagnosed Apical Periodontitis and Cardiovascular Disease: A Hospital Records-based Study.

An GK, Morse DE, Kunin M, Goldberger RS, Psoter WJ

Journal of endodontics.. 2016 June 42 (6):916-20. Epub 04/16/2016.

Persistent oral health disparity in 12-year-old Hispanics: a cross-sectional study.

Elias-Boneta AR, Toro MJ, Rivas-Tumanyan S, Murillo M, Orraca L, Encarnacion A, Cernigliaro D, Toro-Vizcarrondo C, Psoter WJ

BMC oral health.. 2016 February 116 :10. Epub 02/01/2016.

Increasing opportunistic oral cancer screening examinations: findings from focus groups with general dentists in Puerto Rico.

Psoter WJ, Morse DE, Sánchez-Ayendez M, Vega CM, Aguilar ML, Buxó-Martinez CJ, Psoter JA, Kerr AR, Lane CM, Scaringi VJ, Elias A

Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education.. 2015 June 30 (2):277-83. Epub 1900 01 01.

Head and neck cancer radiation therapy with and without chemotherapy may result in decreased health-related quality of life followed by a return to baseline over a 1-year period.

Psoter WJ, Aguilar ML

The journal of evidence-based dental practice.. 2015 March 15 (1):25-7. Epub 12/15/2014.

Effect of early childhood protein-energy malnutrition on permanent dentition dental caries.

Reyes-Perez E, Borrell LN, Katz RV, Gebrian BJ, Prophete S, Psoter WJ

Journal of public health dentistry.. 2014 74 (3):181-7. Epub 11/21/2013.

The quality of removable prostheses in dentate, community-dwelling elderly residing in Puerto Rico.

Aguilar ML, Psoter WJ, Montero M, Milord F, Joshipura KJ

Journal of prosthodontics : official journal of the American College of Prosthodontists.. 2013 October 22 (7):556-560. Epub 02/06/2013.

Podiatric medicine and disaster response: a survey of the professional leadership.

Psoter W, Glotzer DL, Baek LS, Karloopia R, Morse DE

Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.. 2013 103 (1):87-93. Epub 1900 01 01.

A preliminary study on the relationships between global health/quality of life and specific head and neck cancer quality of life domains in Puerto Rico.

Psoter WJ, Aguilar ML, Levy A, Baek LS, Morse DE

Journal of prosthodontics : official journal of the American College of Prosthodontists.. 2012 August 21 (6):460-71. Epub 04/01/2012.

A survey of optometry leadership: participation in disaster response.

Psoter WJ, Glotzer DL, Weiserbs KF, Baek LS, Karloopia R

Optometry : journal of the American Optometric Association.. 2012 January 83 (1):27-32. Epub 10/26/2011.

PCR detection of Streptococcus mutans and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in dental plaque samples from Haitian adolescents.

Psoter WJ, Ge Y, Russell SL, Chen Z, Katz RV, Jean-Charles G, Li Y

Clinical oral investigations.. 2011 August 15 (4):461-9. Epub 05/06/2010.

Smoking and drinking in relation to oral potentially malignant disorders in Puerto Rico: a case-control study.

Li L, Psoter WJ, Buxó CJ, Elias A, Cuadrado L, Morse DE

BMC cancer.. 2011 July 2911 :324. Epub 07/29/2011.

Perspectives of San Juan healthcare practitioners on the detection deficit in oral premalignant and early cancers in Puerto Rico: a qualitative research study.

Morse DE, Vélez Vega CM, Psoter WJ, Vélez H, Buxó CJ, Baek LS, Elias A, Ayendez MS

BMC public health.. 2011 May 2611 :391. Epub 05/26/2011.

Smoking and drinking in relation to depressive symptoms among persons with oral cancer or oral epithelial dysplasia.

Morse DE, Psoter WJ, Baek LS, Eisenberg E, Cohen D, Cleveland D, Mohit-Tabatabai M, Reisine S

Head & neck.. 2010 May 32 (5):578-87. Epub 1900 01 01.

Protein-energy malnutrition during early childhood and periodontal disease in the permanent dentition of Haitian adolescents aged 12-19 years: a retrospective cohort study.

Russell SL, Psoter WJ, Jean-Charles G, Prophte S, Gebrian B

International journal of paediatric dentistry. 2010 May 20 (3):222-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Analysis of three-dimensional distortion of two impression materials in the transfer of dental implants.

Aguilar ML, Elias A, Vizcarrondo CE, Psoter WJ

The Journal of prosthetic dentistry.. 2010 April 103 (4):202-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Caries patterns in the primary dentition: cluster analysis of a sample of 5169 Arizona children 5-59 months of age.

Psoter WJ, Pendrys DG, Morse DE, Zhang HP, Mayne ST

International journal of oral science.. 2009 December 1 (4):189-95. Epub 1900 01 01.

A deficit in biopsying potentially premalignant oral lesions in Puerto Rico.

Morse DE, Psoter WJ, Cuadrado L, Jean YA, Phelan J, Mittal K, Buxó CJ, Cruz GD, Elias A

Cancer detection and prevention.. 2009 32 (5-6):424-30. Epub 02/27/2009.

National emergency response programs for dental health care professionals.

Psoter WJ, Park PJ, Boylan RJ, Morse DE, Glotzer DL

The Journal of the American Dental Association.. 2008 August 139 (8):1067-73. Epub 1900 01 01.

Detection of very early oral cancers in Puerto Rico.

Morse DE, Psoter WJ, De La Torre Feliciano T, Cruz G, Figueroa N

American journal of public health.. 2008 July 98 (7):1200-2. Epub 05/29/2008.

Effect of early childhood malnutrition on tooth eruption in Haitian adolescents.

Psoter W, Gebrian B, Prophete S, Reid B, Katz R

Community dentistry and oral epidemiology.. 2008 April 36 (2):179-89. Epub 1900 01 01.

Effect of childhood malnutrition on salivary flow and pH.

Psoter WJ, Spielman AL, Gebrian B, St Jean R, Katz RV

Archives of oral biology.. 2008 March 53 (3):231-7. Epub 11/05/2007.

Reliability of a sugar consumption questionnaire for rural Haiti.

Psoter WJ, Gebrian B, Katz RV

Puerto Rico health sciences journal.. 2008 March 27 (1):69-74. Epub 1900 01 01.

A unique role for dental school faculty: telephone triage training and integration into a health departments' emergency response planning.

Fernandez JB, Glotzer DL, Triola MM, Psoter WJ

American journal of disaster medicine.. 2008 3 (3):141-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Bioterrorism update--information for the dentist.

Boylan RJ, Psoter WJ, Weiserbs KF, Glotzer DL

General dentistry.. 2008 56 (6):520-5. Epub 1900 01 01.

Smoking and drinking in relation to oral cancer and oral epithelial dysplasia.

Morse DE, Psoter WJ, Cleveland D, Cohen D, Mohit-Tabatabai M, Kosis DL, Eisenberg E

Cancer causes & control : CCC.. 2007 November 18 (9):919-29. Epub 07/24/2007.

All hazards training: incorporating a catastrophe preparedness mindset into the dental school curriculum and professional practice.

Glotzer DL, Rekow ED, More FG, Godder B, Psoter W

Dental clinics of North America.. 2007 October 51 (4):805-18, vi. Epub 1900 01 01.

Comparison of the compressive strength of 3 different implant design systems.

Pedroza JE, Torrealba Y, Elias A, Psoter W

The Journal of oral implantology.. 2007 33 (1):1-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

The effect of an international embargo on malnutrition and childhood mortality in rural Haiti.

Reid BC, Psoter WJ, Gebrian B, Wang MQ

International journal of health services : planning, administration, evaluation.. 2007 37 (3):501-13. Epub 1900 01 01.

Relationship between dental caries experience (DMFS) and dental fluorosis in 12-year-old Puerto Ricans.

Elías-Boneta AR, Psoter W, Elías-Viera AE, Jiménez P, Toro C

Community dental health.. 2006 December 23 (4):244-50. Epub 1900 01 01.

Proposed educational objectives for hospital-based dentists during catastrophic events and disaster response.

Psoter WJ, Herman NG, More FG, Park P, Robbins M, Rekow ED, Ryan JM, Triola MM, Glotzer D

Journal of dental education.. 2006 August 70 (8):835-43. Epub 1900 01 01.

The prevalence of pit and fissure sealants among twelve year olds living in Puerto Rico during 1997.

Elías-Boneta AR, Herrero RH, Psoter K, Toro Vizcarrondo CE, Psoter WJ

Puerto Rico health sciences journal.. 2006 June 25 (2):133-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Introducing a senior course on catastrophe preparedness into the dental school curriculum.

Glotzer DL, More FG, Phelan J, Boylan R, Psoter W, Robbins M, Rekow ED, Godder B, Alfano MC

Journal of dental education.. 2006 March 70 (3):225-30. Epub 1900 01 01.

The Medical Reserve Corps. an opportunity for dentists to serve.

Glotzer DL, Rinchiuso A, Rekow ED, Triola MM, Psoter WJ

The New York state dental journal.. 2006 January 72 (1):60-1. Epub 1900 01 01.

Associations of ethnicity/race and socioeconomic status with early childhood caries patterns.

Psoter WJ, Pendrys DG, Morse DE, Zhang H, Mayne ST

Journal of public health dentistry.. 2006 66 (1):23-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Sociodemographic risk indicators for depressive symptoms among persons with oral cancer or oral epithelial dysplasia.

Reisine S, Morse DE, Psoter WJ, Eisenberg E, Cohen D, Cleveland D, Mohit-Tabatabai M

Journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery : official journal of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.. 2005 April 63 (4):513-20. Epub 1900 01 01.

Malnutrition and dental caries: a review of the literature.

Psoter WJ, Reid BC, Katz RV

Caries research.. 2005 39 (6):441-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

Dental caries in twelve- and fifteen-year-olds: results from the basic oral health survey in Haiti.

Psoter WJ, Saint Jean HL, Morse DE, Prophte SE, Joseph JR, Katz RV

Journal of public health dentistry.. 2005 65 (4):209-14. Epub 1900 01 01.

Emergency preparedness in the dental office.

Glotzer DL, Psoter WJ, Rekow ED

The Journal of the American Dental Association.. 2004 November 135 (11):1565-70. Epub 1900 01 01.

Predoctoral dental school curriculum for catastrophe preparedness.

More FG, Phelan J, Boylan R, Glotzer D, Psoter W, Robbins M, Rekow ED, Alfano MC

Journal of dental education.. 2004 August 68 (8):851-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Meeting a disaster's medical surge demand: can dentists help?

Psoter WJ, Alfano MC, Rekow ED

Journal of the California Dental Association.. 2004 August 32 (8):694-700. Epub 1900 01 01.

Preparing for a terrorist event: a scenario-driven approach.

Glotzer DL, Psoter WJ, Rekow ED

The New York state dental journal.. 2004 70 (6):26-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Historical evolution of primary dentition caries pattern definitions.

Psoter WJ, Morse DE, Pendrys DG, Zhang H, Mayne ST

Pediatric dentistry.. 2004 26 (6):508-11. Epub 1900 01 01.

Dental caries prevalence of twelve year olds in Puerto Rico.

Elías-Boneta AR, Crespo Kebler K, Gierbolini CC, Toro Vizcarrondo CE, Psoter WJ

Community dental health.. 2003 September 20 (3):171-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Classification of dental caries patterns in the primary dentition: a multidimensional scaling analysis.

Psoter WJ, Zhang H, Pendrys DG, Morse DE, Mayne ST

Community dentistry and oral epidemiology.. 2003 June 31 (3):231-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Bioterrorism and catastrophe response: a quick-reference guide to resources.

Han SZ, Alfano MC, Psoter WJ, Rekow ED

The Journal of the American Dental Association.. 2003 June 134 (6):745-52. Epub 1900 01 01.

Enhancing medical and public health capabilities during times of crisis.

Psoter WJ, Triola MM, Morse DE, Rekow ED

The New York state dental journal.. 2003 May 69 (5):25-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

Patient self-reported satisfaction with maxillary anterior dental implant treatment.

Levi A, Psoter WJ, Agar JR, Reisine ST, Taylor TD

The International journal of oral & maxillofacial implants.. 2003 18 (1):113-20. Epub 1900 01 01.

Median ages of eruption of the primary teeth in white and Hispanic children from Arizona.

Psoter WJ, Morse DE, Pendrys DG, Zhang H, Mayne ST

Pediatric dentistry.. 2003 25 (3):257-61. Epub 1900 01 01.

Removal torques of conical, tapered implant abutments: the effects of anodization and reduction of surface area.

Squier RS, Psoter WJ, Taylor TD

The International journal of oral & maxillofacial implants.. 2002 17 (1):24-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

Socioeconomic status and selected behavioral determinants as risk factors for dental caries.

Reisine ST, Psoter W

Journal of dental education.. 2001 October 65 (10):1009-16. Epub 1900 01 01.

Annual per capita apparent consumption of tobacco products in the United States: 1900-1990.

Psoter WJ, Morse DE

Preventive medicine.. 2001 January 32 (1):1-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Trends in the incidence of lip, oral, and pharyngeal cancer: Connecticut, 1935-94.

Morse DE, Pendrys DG, Neely AL, Psoter WJ

Oral oncology.. 1999 January 35 (1):1-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Books

Emergency Medicine Research Advances (2008)

Chapter: A Modest Proposal.

Authors: Rekow ED, Margulies S, Robbins M, Godder B, Glotzer DL, Psoter WJ

Publisher: Nova Biomedical Books, New York 2008

Bedside Pediatrics: diagnostic evaluation of the child (1984)

Chapter: Abnormalities of the Dentition

Authors: Psoter WJ, Kinder S

Publisher: Little, Brown,, Boston 1984