Mahdiyeh Soltaninejad

(Advisor: Dr. Christina Scherrer)

will defend a doctoral thesis entitled,

MATHEMATICAL MODELING FOR DENTAL DECAY PREVENTION IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

On

Monday, April 8th at 2:00 PM

Architecture Building, Room N174

Abstract

The high prevalence of dental caries among children and adolescents, especially those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, is a significant nationwide health concern. Early prevention, such as dental sealants and fluoride varnish (FV), is essential, but access to this care remains limited and disparate. In this research, a national dataset is utilized to assess sealants' reach and effectiveness in preventing tooth decay, particularly focusing on 2nd molars that emerge during early adolescence, a current gap in the knowledge base. FV is recommended to be delivered during medical well-child visits to children who are not seeing a dentist. Challenges and facilitators in implementing this recommendation are explored using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) framework. Finally, ordinary differential equations are used to evaluate FV’s potential impact and cost-effectiveness in preventing and treating early-stage tooth decay, which is a new use of an effective mathematical modeling technique. This comprehensive approach combines data analysis, implementation science, and mathematical modeling to effectively address urgent oral health challenges. This research offers valuable insights into dental healthcare strategies and decision-making processes.

Committee

• Dr. Christina Scherrer – Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (advisor)
• Dr. Robert Keyser – Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Dr. Lin Li – Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Dr. Shillpa Naavaal – School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Dr. Glenn Young – Department of Mathematics