29 October 2026
EFP Digital Innovation Award 2026 winners announced
Categories:Awards, Institutional
The EFP has announced the winners of this year’s EFP Digital Innovation Award, established in 2022 and supported by Haleon.
The annual award encourages the development of innovative digital technologies in three areas: innovation for the public, innovation for oral health professionals, and innovation for periodontal researchers.
The three winning projects for 2026 demonstrate how digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can contribute to periodontal prevention, diagnosis and care.
Objective assessment of masticatory function
The first prize went to “Bringing Objective Masticatory Function Assessment into Periodontal Care”, by Luca Aquilanti, Mauro Merli and Giorgio Rappelli from Italy. Their innovation, QUB3, is a digital system designed to make the objective assessment of masticatory function more accessible in everyday dental practice.
Based on the established Two-Colour Mixing Ability Test, QUB3 integrates sample preparation, image acquisition, automated analysis and digital reporting into a simplified, standardized clinical workflow, delivering objective results in less than 60 seconds.
The technology aims to help clinicians assess and monitor masticatory function, an important consideration in the management of advanced periodontitis, while supporting clinical interpretation and improving communication with patients.
An intelligent platform for periodontal diagnosis
The second prize was awarded to “NexoProbe”, developed by Ferran Sánchez, Fernando Fernández, Alejandro Hermosilla and Raúl Aragall from the University of Valencia, Spain. NexoProbe is an AI-powered platform designed to integrate periodontal records, radiographs, 3D imaging, digital dental models and clinical decision-making into a single digital environment.
The platform aims to support clinicians by automatically identifying dental structures, combining periodontal measurements with the patient’s own three-dimensional anatomical models, and suggesting periodontal diagnoses, prognoses and treatment options based on the EFP's S3-level clinical practice guidelines.
“NexoProbe” also includes a patient-facing portal that presents periodontal status, diagnosis and disease progression through interactive, colour-coded 3D visualizations, with the aim of improving patient understanding and supporting adherence to treatment and preventive recommendations. An initial functional prototype has already been developed.
AI-assisted self-screening of gingival and periodontal disease
The third prize went to “ScanMyGum”, developed by Professor Olivier Huck at the University of Strasbourg, France. This AI-assisted self-screening tool is a smartphone application designed to help individuals identify early signs of gingival and periodontal disease.
Using three photographs taken with a smartphone, the application employs AI to assess whether gums appear healthy or show signs suggestive of gingivitis or periodontitis. It also provides personalized prevention advice and encourages users to seek professional care when necessary.
“ScanMyGum” is currently at the prototype stage, with a clinical validation study involving 1,200 participants in preparation. It is intended as a screening tool, not a substitute for professional diagnosis.
Encouraging digital innovation in periodontology
“The winning projects demonstrate how creative thinking and digital innovation can address real challenges in periodontal care,” said Professor James Deschner, chair of the EFP scientific affairs committee. “From empowering patients to take a more active role in their oral health to supporting clinical decision-making, these innovations have the potential to make a meaningful difference. We congratulate the winners for their originality and commitment to improving periodontal health, and we hope their achievements will inspire others to think differently and develop new ideas.”
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