EpiDentLatvia: Mapping the Epidemiological Profile of Oral Health in Latvian Children and Adolescents

The EpiDentLatvia project targets the critical challenge of oral health in Latvia, where nearly all 12-year-olds have dental caries, exceeding the European average. Oral diseases, including dental caries, are among the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide, affecting children's school performance, future employment and economic productivity. The economic burden of oral health in Latvia is expected to increase significantly by 2040.

To address this, this project will use traditional statistics and machine learning to analyze data from our research group and national oral health datasets to compare the effectiveness of modern approaches. Our goals include identifying modifiable risk factors, predicting future demand for dental services, and mapping inequalities in access between different groups. This will support evidence-based policies, improve resource allocation and promote preventive dental care, in line with the WHO's agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The EpiDentLatvia project is tackling a big problem in Latvia: poor oral health. Almost all 12-year-olds in Latvia have dental cavities, which is higher than the average in Europe. Dental problems like cavities are very common around the world and can affect kids' performance in school and their job opportunities in the future. These issues also cost a lot of money, and the costs are expected to go up by 2040.

To deal with this, the project will use both traditional statistics and modern machine learning techniques to study data from our research team and national oral health records. We want to find out what risk factors we can change to improve oral health, predict how much dental care will be needed in the future, and see where there are differences in access to dental care among different groups of people.

Our goal is to help create policies based on solid evidence, make better use of resources, and encourage preventive dental care. This aligns with the goals of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.