Recipients of the first ever EFP Innovation Award for Digital Solutions for Gum Health announced

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Jun 21 2022

The European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) has announced the recipients of the first ever EFP Innovation Award for Digital Solutions for Gum Health supported by GSK. The award will be conferred every year to three projects on digital innovations aimed at the public, dentists and researchers that will contribute to gum health worldwide.

The prizes were presented at EuroPerio10, the world's leading congress in periodontology and implant dentistry organized by the EFP. The "Dental Coach App" by Dr Lodewijk Gründemann and Dr Melle Vroom from Goutum, the Netherlands scooped this year's first prize of €10,000. "Dental Tracker™, a mobile application for the patient, dentist and periodontal researchers" by Dr Boey Sean Kuan, Perio.Co, Singapore, received the second prize of €6,000. The third prize of €4,000 went to "AI-PERIO: integration of gum health perception and periodontitis prevention on an artificially intelligence-based mobile application for tackling low-grade chronic systemic inflammation" by Dr Giacomo Baima and Dr Mario Aimetti from the Postgraduate Programme, University of Turin, Italy in collaboration with the Anti-Inflammaging Company.

Projects were selected by a judging panel including chairs of several EFP committees and a member of the core executive committee. The four criteria used to evaluate each application were the need, the market, the presentation of the idea, and the business plan.

To be eligible, digital innovations had to be aimed at the public, dentists, and/or researchers:

• For the public: digital technology such as applications or devices that improve periodontal health and prevent gum inflammation.
• For the dentist: digital technology that helps dentists diagnose or improve the gum health of their patients.
• For periodontal researchers: new digital methods that enhance the quality of studies about gum health.

Periodontitis, also called gum disease, is the most common chronic inflammatory non-communicable condition worldwide and if not adequately treated it often leads to tooth loss. Periodontitis is however largely preventable with good oral hygiene and regular maintenance visits to the dental team. Digital technologies have an increasing role to play in prevention and treatment and this EFP award with the support of GSK aims to support innovations in this area."

Professor Andreas Stavropoulos, EFP President

Dr Stephen Mason, Global Medical Lead: Oral Health, GSK Consumer Healthcare said "We have a compelling opportunity to make a meaningful difference to eradicate preventable oral health problems for millions of people across the world. In order to do this, we must recognize that people don't just go online, many now 'live' online. That's why GSK Consumer Healthcare are proud to be sponsors of the new EFP Innovation Award for Digital Solutions for Gum Health. Digital solutions are not only a key enabler to improve periodontal health but are also a gateway to better everyday health. We are committed to the EFP and we will never stop in our pursuit to find new and disruptive ways to contribute to the improvement in gum health worldwide."