Problems in the mouth are linked to diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, yet that information often goes unused. European researchers want to change that with a smart AI assistant.
The Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) is receiving €1.18 million from the European Horizon Europe program for the project MYDIAG.AI. Assistant professor Naichuan Su (Department of Society and Oral Health) is working with European partners on an AI assistant that detects general health problems earlier using oral health data.
A growing body of research shows that problems in the mouth can be linked to diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. This information is still rarely used to detect health problems early. The AI assistant can look at different types of oral health data, such as patient records, caregivers’ notes, photos of the mouth and X-rays. In this way, it helps caregivers recognize risks earlier and supports decisions about care and treatment.
ACTA plays an important role in testing and implementing the technology. Researchers assess, using existing and new patient data, whether the assistant works well in everyday dental care. The project starts on January 1, 2027, runs for 48 months and is led by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The total budget is almost €20 million, of which ACTA receives €1,182,308.50. Partners include Amsterdam UMC, LMU University Hospital Munich, the German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg, the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Fundació Eurecat, Mawi Solutions OÜ and Dental Tribune International GmbH. ACTA professor emeritus Bruno Loos (Department of Periodontology) sits on the external advisory board.
With MYDIAG.AI, the researchers aim to contribute to better collaboration between dental care and other healthcare, so that health problems can potentially be detected and prevented earlier.