Cost-effectiveness of treating periodontal disease in pregnant women and using machine learning to identify responders
Official title: The ANTENATAL Study: An ecoNomic evaluaTion of pEriodontal treatmeNt in pregnAnt women and identification of responders to Treatment using mAchine Learning"
Funded at University of South Carolina at Columbia · NIH-11381820 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether treating gum disease in pregnant women is worth the cost and whether machine learning can identify which patients will benefit most.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $485,099 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE034701-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381820 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant women with periodontitis or periodontal inflammation who previously participated in related studies and who can access dental care.
✕Less likely to help
Pregnant women without periodontal disease or those unable to access dental care may not experience direct benefits.
What this research studies
Many pregnant people have gum inflammation, and few see a dentist during pregnancy. The study will analyze costs and health outcomes of non-surgical periodontal treatment during pregnancy using data from a prior trial, including inflammatory markers and biomarkers. Researchers will combine clinical data with economic analysis to understand short- and long-term oral health and potential maternal-child health benefits. They will also apply machine learning to identify which women are most likely to respond to treatment. Findings could inform policy decisions about expanding access to dental care for pregnant patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could support broader access to dental care for pregnant women and help tailor treatment to those who benefit most.
How similar studies have gone: Previous non-surgical periodontal treatments have shown clinical benefit in general populations, but this study extends analysis to pregnant women and adds cost-effectiveness and machine-learning components.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Carolina at Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Merchant, Anwar — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Merchant, Anwar
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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.