NL
DE
The ORANGEHealth consortium, started in 2020 and led by Frank Walboomers (Radboudumc) and Katarina Jerkovic (University of Applied Sciences Utrecht & ACTA Amsterdam), has received nearly three and a half million euros from Health~Holland for improving oral health care in the Netherlands. The funds in this 6-year program are for projects involving collaboration with private partners (PPP). The focus is on the interaction between general health and oral health with special attention to prevention, the right care in the right place, and better cooperation between different healthcare professionals.
“The mouth is often seen as a mirror of overall health. Therefore, the mission of this ORANGEHealth consortium is to shape the future of oral health, in conjunction with health more broadly, with a view to adequate prevention, early detection and effective intervention of various conditions,” Walboomers said in explaining the program's award.
Prevention and technological innovation
Oral care represents a significant portion of healthcare costs in the Netherlands and has a structure that is unique, even internationally, with regular preventive examinations (periodic checkups) and long-term treatment relationships. The historically grown separation between general and oral care does not do justice to the close relationship between the mouth and the rest of the body. Interprofessional cooperation, with the emphasis on prevention in oral health care being optimized, can lead to significant health gains and increased efficiency. The positive attitude of oral health care professionals toward technological innovations is key in this regard.
Key technologies
ORANGEHealth public private projects (PPP) will support innovations from growth markets, such as the development of salivary peptides into medicines and the use of artificial intelligence to predict disease through oral sensors. Technologies such as 3D (bio)printing contribute to the development of new materials as well as restorative and regenerative applications in oral care. All projects align with key technologies from the National Technology Strategy, including biomolecular and cellular technologies, advanced imaging, artificial intelligence and data science. By stimulating innovations, ORANGEHealth (Oral and General Health) will contribute to the goals of the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda in health and care, and societal goals such as emission reduction through sustainable mobility.
Better and more efficient
Walboomers: “With the money, we hope to make oral care in the Netherlands more efficient and better in the coming years. Thanks to innovations in prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment, oral care will become easier, more accessible and cheaper. In 2025, a first round will start to boost new innovations in cooperation with SME partners.” Jerkovic, program leader along with Walboomers, adds: “In 2026, a second round of research will start on appropriate, person-centered and effective care, with a focus on early detection, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This will use technological innovations such as 3D printing techniques, artificial intelligence, biomarker research, tele-dentistry and eHealth. The third and final round of the program will follow in 2027, focusing on research into the relationship between oral health and overall health in chronic diseases. The entire program will eventually be complete in 2031.”
Previous project
This is the second time the seven oral health colleges have collaborated within ORANGEHealth and received a significant grant from the government, as a larger project focused on oral health in the elderly is already underway. More information about the ORANGEHealth consortium and the new program can be found at https://orangehealth.nl/ and www.health-holland.com
-
Want to know more about these subjects? Click on the buttons below for more news.
