Closing tooth decay gaps for children with data-driven risk tools
Official title: Reducing oral health disparities in children using predictive analytics and mathematical modeling
Funded at Harvard Medical School · NIH-11239028 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses computer-based risk models to find which young children—especially those on Medicaid or from Black and Hispanic communities—are most likely to get serious tooth decay so programs can target help.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Medical School NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | January 10, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 5R00MD016895-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11239028 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children under age 12, especially those enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP or from Black and Hispanic communities, and those living in the study regions or included in the data sources.
✕Less likely to help
Adults, children outside the included age range, or people not represented in the studied Medicaid/CHIP or community data may not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From a parent's point of view, researchers will combine health and billing records, neighborhood information, and clinical factors to build computer models that predict which kids under 12 are at highest risk for dental cavities. They will also use mathematical models to study how race, community conditions, and access to care interact to create disparities. The project aims to measure both health outcomes and costs so state Medicaid and CHIP programs can know the value of different actions. Results will be used to help design more equitable, cost-effective programs to prevent severe tooth decay in high-need children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help states target preventive care and resources to children most likely to get severe cavities, reducing tooth decay and unequal access to care.
How similar studies have gone: Related projects have used predictive models to identify high-risk patients with mixed success, but integrating such models with state Medicaid programs to specifically reduce racial and ethnic disparities is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard Medical School
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Choi, Sung Eun — Harvard Medical School
- Study coordinator: Choi, Sung Eun
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Coordinated Oral Health Promotion for Chicago Kids
A long-running study in Chicago is following children and their caregivers to find ways to reduce tooth decay and improve daily life for families.
-
Digital adolescent dental health program to reduce tooth decay in at-risk youth
A digital program designed for lower-income 7th and 8th graders to help them avoid tobacco use and sugary drinks to lower the risk of tooth decay.
-
Improving how schools deliver tooth care for kids using existing data
This project analyzes past school-based dental care data to help more underserved children get effective, affordable preventive treatment.
-
Host genetics and oral microbiome: big-data clues to oral health
A large study will combine human genetics, saliva bacteria, and health records to understand why oral diseases like cavities and gum disease occur in different people.
-
Understanding dry mouth in adults using AI to read electronic records
A new project uses AI to find adults with xerostomia in medical records and predict who will have worse oral health outcomes.
-
Oral health effects of buprenorphine and methadone in people with opioid use disorder
This project will explore how common MOUD medicines like buprenorphine (including dissolvable forms) and methadone may affect oral health in people with opioid use disorder.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.