(Vienna, 08-03-2022) The Innovative Dentistry Foundation has awarded first prize in the "Innovative Concepts" category of the Dental Innovation Award (DIA) to the research group led by Katrin Bekes, Professor of Paediatric Dentistry at the University Clinic of Dentistry Vienna, for a collaborative project with Switzerland and the Center for Digital Technologies of the DPU Krems.
The prize is awarded annually under the auspices of the German Society for Dental Conservation (DGZ) and this year was endowed with 4,000 euros.
The research group led by Katrin Bekes is currently developing an app which uses artificial intelligence to analyse structural disorders of dental hard tissues with the focus on molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH, "chalky teeth"). In the award-winning study, photographs of different dental pathologies (MIH, amelogenesis imperfecta, caries, fluorosis) were provided and analysed with regard to what extent neural networks can be used for diagnosing MIH and other pathologies. Accuracies of up to 93 percent were observed in the detection of pathologies for the networks studied.
About Katrin Bekes
Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. dent. Katrin Bekes, MME, is Head of the Department of Paediatric Dentistry at the University Clinic of Dentistry Vienna. She is currently President of the German Society for Paediatric Dentistry (DGKiZ), Vice President of the Austrian Society for Paediatric Dentistry (ÖGKiZ) and Austrian Councillor at the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) and the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD). Katrin Bekes founded the only competence centre for patients with MIH (Specialised Outpatient Clinic for Mineralisation Disorders) in Austria and has published and lectured widely in this field.