Research Overview

Dr. Isong is an Instructor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, and is engaged in health services and policy research. Dr. Isong's research focuses on assessing barriers to health care access and delivery of clinical preventive services. In particular, she is interested in integrating oral health into pediatric primary care, and evaluating multi-level determinants of children's oral health status and access to care. She also conducts research focused on preventing obesity and early childhood caries in early childhood. This work involves understanding the role sugar sweetened beverages and other behavioral risk factors play in early childhood caries and obesity, and identifying innovative strategies to address these chronic conditions. She is currently conducting research that assesses mechanisms that foster disparities in early childhood obesity and also evaluating the impact of social policies on children’s weight status.

 

Research Background

Inyang Isong, MD, MPH, SM is a practicing general pediatrician with clinical responsibilities at Boston Children's Primary Care at Longwood and Martha Elliot Health Center. She is an Instructor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, and is engaged in health services and policy research. Dr. Isong attended medical school at the College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Nigeria. She earned a Masters in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. She completed her training in pediatrics at Cook County Children's Hospital, Chicago and a fellowship in Health Services Research at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. Before joining Boston Children’s Hospital, she worked as a community-based pediatrician at Lawndale Christian Health Center in Chicago, and subsequently as a Medical Officer with the United States Department of Health and Human Services in Rockville, Maryland. She is a member of the Pediatric Academic Societies as well as a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Selected Publications

  1. Isong IA, Zuckerman KE, Rao SR, Kuhlthau KA, Winickoff JP, Perrin JM. Association between parents’ and children’s use of oral health services. Pediatrics. 2010;125(3):502-508.
  2. Isong IA, Silk, H, Rao SR, Perrin JM, Savageau JA, Donelan K. Provision of fluoride varnish to Medicaid-enrolled children by physicians: the Massachusetts experience. Health Serv Res. 2011;46(6pt1):1843-1862.
  3. Isong IA, Luff, D, Perrin JM, Winickoff JP, Ng MW. Parental perspectives of early childhood caries. Clin Pediatr. 2012;51(1):77-85.
  4. Isong IA, Soobader MJ, Fisher-Owens SA, Weintraub JA, Gansky SA, Platt LJ, Newacheck PW. Racial disparity trends in children's dental visits: US National Health Interview Survey, 1964-2010. Pediatrics. 2012;130(2):306-314. PMCID: PMC3408679.
  5. Fisher-Owens SA, Isong IA, Soobader MJ, Gansky SA, Weintraub JA, Platt LJ Newacheck PW. An examination of racial/ethnic disparities in children’s oral health in the United States. J Public Health Dent. 2013;73(2):166-174. PMCID: PMC3702186.
  6. Isong IA, Rao SR, Holifield C, Iannuzzi D, Hanson E, Ware J, Nelson L. Addressing dental fear in children with autism: a randomized controlled pilot study using electronic screen media. Clin Pediatr. 2014;53(3):230-237.

Education

Medical School

University of Calabar
1991 Leopad Town, Calabar Nigeria

Internship

Pediatrics Cook County Hospital
1995 Chicago IL

Residency

Pediatrics Cook County Hospital
1997 Chicago IL

Fellowship

Harvard Health Services Research Massachusetts General Hospital
2012 Boston MA

Publications

  1. Socioeconomic Indicators and Low Body Mass Index Outcome Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Social Risks. Acad Pediatr. 2025 Mar 17; 25(5):102814. View Abstract
  2. Primary Care and Oral Health Integration: Comparing Training Across Disciplines. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2020; 31(4S):344-359. View Abstract
  3. Oral Health Training in Pediatric Residency Programs: Pediatric Program Directors' Perspectives. J Dent Educ. 2019 Jun; 83(6):630-637. View Abstract
  4. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Early Childhood Obesity. Pediatrics. 2018 01; 141(1). View Abstract
  5. Racial/Ethnic Disparities: a Longitudinal Study of Growth Trajectories Among US Kindergarten Children. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2018 08; 5(4):875-884. View Abstract
  6. Assessing Preschoolers' Beverage Consumption Using the Theory of Planned Behavior. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2018 06; 57(6):711-721. View Abstract
  7. Childcare Attendance and Obesity Risk. Pediatrics. 2016 11; 138(5). View Abstract
  8. Geography matters: state-level variation in children's oral health care access and oral health status. Public Health. 2016 May; 134:54-63. View Abstract
  9. Addressing dental fear in children with autism spectrum disorders: a randomized controlled pilot study using electronic screen media. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2014 Mar; 53(3):230-7. View Abstract
  10. Oral Health Disparities and Unmet Dental Needs among Preschool Children in Chelsea, MA: Exploring Mechanisms, Defining Solutions. J Oral Hyg Health. 2014; 2. View Abstract
  11. An examination of racial/ethnic disparities in children's oral health in the United States. J Public Health Dent. 2013; 73(2):166-74. View Abstract
  12. Racial disparity trends in children's dental visits: US National Health Interview Survey, 1964-2010. Pediatrics. 2012 Aug; 130(2):306-14. View Abstract
  13. Parental perspectives of early childhood caries. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2012 Jan; 51(1):77-85. View Abstract
  14. Provision of fluoride varnish to Medicaid-enrolled children by physicians: the Massachusetts experience. Health Serv Res. 2011 Dec; 46(6pt1):1843-62. View Abstract
  15. Association between parents' and children's use of oral health services. Pediatrics. 2010 Mar; 125(3):502-8. View Abstract

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