Dental research award goes to Heidelberg Institute of Global

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 7. August 2025

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HEIDELBERG, Germany: The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research has honoured Prof. Stefan Listl of Heidelberg University with the prestigious IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in the field of social science, epidemiology and health services research. The annual award—one of the highest distinctions in oral health—was presented in recognition of Prof. Listl’s extensive scientific contribution to the field of dentistry.

Dr Listl is professor of translational health economics and head of the oral health working group at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health. A university press release noted that Prof. Listl is both a trained dentist and economist and is widely recognised as a leading researcher in the fields of health economics, public health and dental care research. He has received funding for his extensive research from governments and major funding bodies, such as the EU, the US National Institutes of Health and Germany’s Federal Joint Committee (G-BA).

As a member of the steering committee for the latest World Health Organization (WHO) report on the status of oral health, Prof. Listl has also contributed extensively to reports by FDI World Dental Federation and the World Economic Forum. He is a member of the WHO working group on prioritising efficient interventions for oral health and two Lancet commissions focusing on oral health and the European Health Union.

Focus on quality and cost-effectiveness

The research by Prof. Listl and his team promotes quality and cost-effectiveness in dental care as an integral part of the healthcare system. He was the first to publish a comprehensive assessment of the global costs of caries, periodontitis and tooth loss. According to the latest update of the assessment, the annual costs of dental care and productivity losses due to dental disease amount to approximately €640 billion. In the EU, the cost of care for oral and maxillofacial diseases ranks third behind cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This data has been included in the latest WHO report on the state of global oral health and in a corresponding WHO action plan.

Prof. Listl is currently coordinating two EU-funded research projects that promote quality and cost-effectiveness in dental care, as well as a G-BA-funded project focusing on integrated care for diabetes and periodontitis.

The first EU project, DELIVER, is working with patients, dentists and policymakers to find better ways to improve oral healthcare by encouraging open discussion, shared decision-making and practical tools that suit different local needs. The second, PRUDENT, aims to develop smarter ways to pay for dental care, by testing new funding models, setting care priorities and creating practical tools to support fair and sustainable access to oral health service. The G-BA project, DigIn2Perio, is investigating how care processes for the treatment of diabetes and periodontitis can be better coordinated in medical and dental practices. The two diseases can exacerbate the other, and this vicious cycle can be broken by optimising early detection and treatment.

Topics:

Public Health Dentistry

Tags:

Access to care Dental awards Dental research Diabetes and oral health Periodontal health Public health

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