The Project

The project counts with the participation of IADR divisions and sections in the Latin American region. The national Coordinators are specifically trained and skilled professionals to lead epidemiological studies on dental caries and quality of life. These Coordinators are members of the IADR and have been calibrated to guarantee the precision and reliability of the data collected in the studies.

Associated Institutions

The OICAL project is supported by the collaboration of universities and dental schools that join as ad honorem associated institutions. These institutions contribute their experience and resources to carry out the studies in their respective territories. The participation of these institutions is subject to the approval of the corresponding ethics committees.

Territorial or Institutional Bases for Epidemiological Studies

The project study will be carried out in territories and institutions that are not covered by community preventive education programs focused on diseases related to dental biofilm (such as dental caries or gingivoperiodontal diseases).

Scope of the Project

The project focuses on the epidemiology and determinants of dental caries throughout the life course, from the mother-child binomial to adolescence. Its focus includes data recording in territorial or institutional bases that are currently not covered by community programs. These data will allow, in the future, to evaluate the impact of knowledge translation on clinical and health decision-making, thus contributing to health equity and human development in Latin American communities.

Objective and Strategies

The OICAL project (RDP/LAR 2018) has as its main objective to address the challenge of dental caries in childhood and adolescence in Latin America through profound and coordinated research. Through a collaborative approach between countries and key stakeholders, we seek to generate standardized data, develop evidence-based action plans, and promote public policies that contribute to improving oral health in the region.

Below, we detail the specific strategies that guide us and will allow us to fulfill our purpose of preventing caries and building healthy habits for a radiant future.

Generate standardized epidemiological data
Through prior calibration of local representatives from 11 countries, the project will collect information on dental caries, its impact on quality of life, and sugar consumption in children from the first year of life to adolescence.
Analyze the impact of dental caries
Study how caries affects the quality of life of children and adolescents over time, from early ages to adolescence, in order to identify critical areas for intervention.
Study the determinants of dental caries
Identify and understand the social, cultural, economic, and biological factors that contribute to the development of dental caries and other oral conditions, as well as the causal models that can develop throughout life.
Generate standardized data in Latin America
Provide comparable dental caries data in the region, using trained professionals to address health inequalities, and examine how these are related to general health and socioeconomic conditions.
Develop evidence-based protocols
Create a regional consensus on protocols and prevention and treatment guides for dental caries, based on local scientific evidence, with the aim of implementing effective strategies in each country.
Create monitoring tools
Develop and implement tools to monitor the evolution of dental caries at the regional level, by nodes and by country, that allow for continuous follow-up and improved decision-making.
Share results with health authorities
Disseminate the data obtained with the Ministries of Health of each country to promote the formulation of public policies based on scientific evidence that address dental caries and its determinants in the region.
Foster training and research
Boost the formation of new researchers in the 11 participating countries, promoting continuous training in oral health and strengthening local capacities to address dental caries and other oral diseases.

Phases of the Project

In OICAL we follow a series of structured phases that ensure the correct implementation of our objectives. Below, we detail the key steps that guide our project, from its inception to the impact evaluation in communities.

Approval and Finances

Project approval by the IADR Regional Development Program (RDP) (www.iadr.org) and financing from international organizations.
Training and Calibration

Continuous training and recalibration of local and international coordinators in the diagnosis of dental caries (ICDAS criteria) and consensus on research tools.
Epidemiological Surveys

Implementation of epidemiological surveys with continuous data collection in each participating country, including surveys on oral health-related quality of life and diet.
Analysis and Dissemination

Analysis and dissemination through the systematization of results for publication and generation of strategies applicable in the region.

Methodology

OICAL is founded on an integral vision of oral health, understood not only as the absence of diseases but as a continuous process of well-being that encompasses both the person and the social, cultural, and economic context. In this sense, the project is guided by ethical principles of equity and respect for diversity, seeking solutions that transcend traditional approaches and favor equitable access to dental health for all children and adolescents in Latin America.

Through an iterative "research-training-services" approach, we foster permanent interaction with informed users, allowing scientific knowledge to be effectively translated into concrete actions for the improvement of oral health.

The OICAL team has redefined what is understood by "important advances," incorporating cultural contexts, social agreements, and innovations as key elements for validation of research and knowledge translation.

In this way, the project not only focuses on scientific results but also on the applicability of those results in real and diverse contexts. Furthermore, the notion of scientific excellence has been expanded, which now requires interdisciplinary and intersectoral intervention.

Our research advocates for a vision that includes interdisciplinary perspectives, integrating health sciences with humanities to address oral health in an integral and contextualized manner, responding thus to the social and cultural demands of the region.

Functions

In OICAL our main focus is to generate a positive impact on the oral health of children and adolescents in Latin America. To achieve this, we have a series of key operational functions that allow us to strengthen our capacities as a team, monitor results, and share the generated knowledge.

Below, we detail the fundamental functions of the project that will guide its implementation and monitoring.

Strengthen competencies
Foster continuous training and formation of participating teams in epidemiological surveys through systematic calibrations, ensuring the quality and consistency of collected data.
Monitor and understand problems
Carry out continuous follow-up of the epidemiological profile of dental caries, its determinants, and its consequences in target populations, in order to better understand the challenges facing oral health in the region.
Share knowledge
Promote dissemination of research lines under development by different teams, fostering collaboration and creation of multi-center studies that contribute new findings and innovative solutions.
Evaluate the impact of knowledge transfer
Unerringly evaluate the impact of interventions carried out in the region for the control of dental caries and its determinants, including a repository of pertinent publications that support informed decision-making.

At OICAL we work to generate scientific evidence that guides oral health public policies and practices, ensuring a healthy future for children and adolescents in Latin America.