Sri Ramachandra University has received a grant of $830,000 (around ₹7.8 crore) to develop a mobile app to detect dental problems, including tooth decay and developmental problems, in children.
The interactive app will help monitor and provide age-appropriate oral health guidance to parents on milk teeth and preventing cavities. The app will deliver motivational alerts tailored to infant’s age and development.
M.S. Muthu, professor and head, paediatric and preventive dentistry, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research and Vineet Dhar, professor and chair of orthodontics and paediatric dentistry, University of Maryland, will collaborate to develop the app with Happiest Mind Technologies.
The first version of the app is expected to be ready by November 2025 for trial in limited groups. Parents of 540 infants will be selected from among those being treated by the paediatrics department in Sri Ramachandra Hospital. P. Umapathy, paediatric medicine professor will assist.
While 270 parents would be provided a free smartphone with the app, another 270 parents will be selected for recording live feedback. The interactive contents in the app will be periodically updated with increased sample size and the final version is expected to be released in five years. The app is expected to help users monitor the growth of their children’s teeth up to 36 months and consult the nearest hospital for interventions. This is expected to be the most cost-effective method globally to prevent tooth decay in infants and children.
Dr. Muthu said parents normally ignore cavities of milk teeth, which can leave deep-rooted infection. According to him, Sri Ramachandra Dental College is the first such institution in India to receive a grant from National Institute of Health.
