Alexandria, VA, USA – A study evaluating the association between periodontal treatment and health care costs among adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) was presented at the 104th General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 50th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research on March 25-28, 2026 in San Diego, CA, USA.
The study analyzed deidentified commercial insurance claims data from 192,500 adults aged 21–64 with CVD diagnoses between 2015 and 2022. Patients were categorized based on periodontal treatment received in 2020–2021: none, 1-3 visits, or 4+ visits. Gamma regression and multinomial propensity score matching (PSM) models assessed associations between periodontal treatment and 2022 health care costs (overall, outpatient, inpatient, and prescription), controlling for demographic and clinical covariates.
Investigators concluded that periodontal treatment may reduce health care costs among individuals with CVD, potentially through mechanisms such as reduced systemic inflammation. Cost savings were most pronounced among patients with four or more periodontal visits, supporting risk-based recall strategies. These findings highlight the importance of integrating oral health into chronic disease management and suggest that expanding access to periodontal care may yield both economic and health benefits.
The abstract, “The Value of Periodontal Therapy Among Patients with Cardiovasclar Disease” was presented by Eric Tranby of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, Boston, MA, USA during the “Keynote Address: Oral Health Research Oral Session I” Oral Session that took place on Friday, March 27, 2026 at 2 p.m. PDT (UTC-7).
About IADR/AADOCR
The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research for health and well-being worldwide. IADR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) is the largest division of IADR. Learn more at www.iadr.org.
