Dr. Steven Levy, Wright-Bush-Shreves Endowed Professor at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Professor at the College of Public Health, has received a subaward as Co-Investigator on a new R21 grant funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The project, led by Dr. Dipankar Bandyopadhyay at Virginia Commonwealth University, aims to develop a clinically-meaningful, evidence-based index to better assess and predict adult coronal dental caries risk using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data.

Dr. Levy’s primary role is to ground the project in clinical practice. Drawing from his extensive expertise in oral epidemiology and dental caries research, he is guiding the selection of key socio-demographic, behavioral, and clinical factors most relevant to real-world dental care. He is also collaborating with the research team to ensure that results are presented in a way that is clear, actionable, and meaningful for dental practitioners.

Ultimately, the goal is to produce a user-friendly web-based tool that dentists and oral health professionals can use to better understand caries risk, personalize prevention strategies, and improve patient outcomes. The project draws from advanced data science, translating available national health survey data into practical, predictive insights for oral healthcare providers.

Research reported on this website is being supported by the NIDCR/NIH under Award Number 1R21DE034124-01. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.