Improving how schools deliver tooth care for kids using existing data
Official title: Improving the design and implementation of school-based oral health programs using secondary data analysis
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11477436 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project analyzes past school-based dental care data to help more underserved children get effective, affordable preventive treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 14, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $238,051 |
| NIH project number | 7R03DE033776-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11477436 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Underserved school-aged children who would benefit from preventive dental care in school settings.
✕Less likely to help
Children without school-based health programs or with conditions not addressed by the current prevention approaches may not benefit.
What this research studies
Kids in underserved communities often miss preventive dental care. This project uses previously collected data from a school-based program to learn how to better design and implement silver diamine fluoride and other prevention strategies. The goal is to guide wider use of proven methods in schools to reduce cavities and improve children’s oral health-related quality of life. The work builds on a large prior study to inform real-world, scalable prevention in schools.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could make preventive dental care more accessible in schools, reducing cavities and improving children’s health and well-being.
How similar studies have gone: Previous CariedAway findings showed SDF is effective and can be administered by school staff, supporting broader implementation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ruff, Ryan Richard — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Ruff, Ryan Richard
Related research
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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.