Major investment in research to improve oral health
The research profile “Advancing Oral Health” at the Faculty of Odontology has “good opportunities to establish a potentially world-leading center with great impact on both industry and healthcare.” This is what the Knowledge Foundation writes in the justification for allocating SEK 48 million to the current initiative.
A total of SEK 48 million distributed over eight years. The research profile “Advancing Oral Health” at Malmö University will receive this funding from the Knowledge Foundation to improve individual patients' oral health care – based on environmental, economic, psychosocial and biological factors - in close collaboration with dental care and industry.
“I am delighted with this fine recognition of the university's oral health research, which has a long tradition. Now we have fantastic opportunities to develop innovative research in co-production with industry and dentistry to contribute to oral health and societal benefits,” says Mia Rönnmar, Vice-Chancellor of the University.
Poor oral health is a major global problem. Today, it is estimated that one in three people in the world suffers from one or more oral diseases - reducing quality of life and increasing the risk of so-called systemic diseases (such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes). In addition, these diseases contribute to enormous costs to society, amounting to thousands of billions of dollars annually on a global scale.
“The profile “Advancing Oral Health” will, together with our industry partners, build on components of our established research and develop several emerging research areas with great development potential.”
“By integrating oral and general health together with a sustainability perspective, we can increase equality in healthcare, with great potential to advance, for example, eHealth,” says Per Alstergren, Dean of the Faculty of Odontology.
A distinctive feature of 'Advancing Oral Health' is the widespread and close collaboration between the university and other healthcare providers and companies within the profile. These include, for example, the public dental health services in Skåne, Gävleborg and Stockholm, as well as Colosseum Smile AB and the international company TePe, which develops and produces a range of oral health products.
“The close link between healthcare providers, industry players and patient-oriented research contributes to an exciting cross-fertilization. Together, we can effectively address key knowledge gaps, evaluate the impact of different interventions and develop new strategies and treatments.”
“It's great to finally have a perspective that takes research all the way from the lab bench to the dentist's chair,” says Birgitta Häggman-Henrikson”, Professor and Project lead.
Eva Schelin, CEO of the Knowledge Foundation, also emphasizes the importance of cooperation between different sectors to achieve development.
“The Research Profiles program provides long-term conditions for higher education institutions to build strong research and education environments in close collaboration with the business community. This provides both stability and innovative power. The initiative in Malmö is a clear example of how this model enables research with concrete benefits - for both patients and industry,” she says.
