Tooka Zokaie, MPH, MAS, CPH
DrPH Student
DrPH Program
Pronouns: She/Her
Email:
About
Tooka Zokaie is a Certified Public Health Professional and the Senior Health Policy Analyst for the California Dental Association. Her work includes educating and collaborating with community leaders on public health topics such as community water fluoridation, substance use disorders, school-based oral health, interprofessional collaboration, and dental care access. Her work integrates the importance of oral health when addressing total health questions. Her advocacy extends to the larger idea of “Health in All Policies” in order to empower intersectional leaders to make decisions with the lens of population health. She is a Section Councilor of the Oral Health Section and Governing Councilor of the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Section of the American Public Health Association. She was recognized in the 2023 class of the de Beaumont Foundation 40 under 40 in Public Health. In her free time, Tooka enjoys cooking (usually Thai/Persian flavors), growing house plants, and playing with her dogs Saffron and Zaytoon.
Selected Grants
California Department of Public Health Office of Oral Health, Vaccine Confidence Contract (#20-10886), Program Investigator
California Department of Public Health Office of Oral Health, Community Based Clinical Education Contract (#22-10947), Program Manager
Selected Publications
Zokaie, T., Clements, M.R., Sweeney, M.A. Barrier to Care: Emergency Department Utilization for Non-traumatic Dental Conditions in California. Journal of the California Dental Association. 2023; 51:1, DOI: 10.1080/19424396.2023.2246186
Zokaie, T, Pollick, H. 2021. Community water fluoridation and the integrity of equitable public health infrastructure. J Public Health Dent [epub ahead of print 14 Oct 2021] in press. doi:10.1111/jphd.12480
Zhang B., Zokaie T. Module 7: COVID-19- Global Lessons for a Global Profession In: Toward Competency-Based Best Practices for Global Health in Dental Education: A Global Health Starter Kit 2ndEdition. Senior editor Seymour B., Assistant editors Clem B, Ramesh N, Suri D., Advisory editor Barrow J. A project of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health Global Oral Health Interest Group and Harvard School of Dental Medicine; 2022. Available at: https://hsdm.harvard.edu/global-health-starter-kit
Shaver, A, Megally, H, Boynes, S, Zokaie, T, Ramesh, P, Clermont, D, Cothron, A. Illustrating the Role of Dental Journals in the Translational Science Process. 2022. Available at: https://aidph.org/translational-science/
Education
Masters of Applied Science in Population Health Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Masters in Public Health, UC Davis
Bachelors of Science in Human Development, UC Davis
Licensures and Certifications
Certified in Public Health, 2020
Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, 2019
Certified in Facilitative Leadership, 2018
Professional Memberships
American Public Health Association
National Network for Oral Health Access
Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors