OK-CARE | Oral–Kidney Collaborative for Advancing Research and Evidence
The Oral–Kidney Axis Crosstalk Initiative
From Evidence to Action at the Intersection of Oral and Kidney Health
Evidence. Integration. Impact.
The Initiative
Oral–Kidney Collaborative for Advancing Research and Evidence
The Oral-Renal Axis Crosstalk Initiative is a multidisciplinary effort to advance evidence, clinical alignment, and policy-relevant insights at the intersection of oral health and kidney disease. A growing body of epidemiologic and mechanistic research links periodontal disease, systemic inflammation, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, translation into practice, payer strategy, and policy remains limited.
Building on the recent work and work-group alignment, the initiative seeks to move the field from association toward actionable integration by generating rigorous clinical, health services, and economic evidence to inform advocacy and implement actionable changes.
Sujay Mehta
Hospital Dentistry & Orofacial Pain Harvard Macy Faculty | Chair, APHA Oral Health
Prakash Gudsoorkar
Division of Nephrology, University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Health Economics and
Epidemiology
Fernando Neves Hugo
Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion, New York University College of Dentistry.
OUR TEAM
Clinical Dental Leads
Priyanka Gudsoorkar
Division of Environmental & Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Sompop Bencharit
Department of Restorative Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Clinical Dental Leads
Edgar Lerma
Division of Nephrology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Health Systems Integration
and Policy
Daniel Croley
Delta Dental of California.
International Contributors (Invited)
Chun Wang Chau | Hong Kong
Sabine Karam
Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Ryan S. Lee
Chief Dental Officer | Lt. Colonel (USAR) SME/KOL: Oral Oncology/Implantology, Health Informatics, Health Plans
Abhijit V. Kshirsagar
Division of Nephrology & Hypertension, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Project
Management
Isabella Lerma
Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Ramprasad Vasthare | India
Additional contributors may be engaged on an invited, as-needed basis as the initiative evolves.
KEY PUBLICATIONS
Clear link discovered between chronic kidney disease and periodontal disease.
Recently analyzed evidence points to a connection between oral health and kidney health, according to work led by University of Cincinnati College of Medicine researchers.
After reviewing more than 150 studies, UC researchers push for integrated care systems
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American Society of Nephrology - Kidney News
Mouth and Kidneys: Unveiling the Crosstalk Between Oral and Kidney Health
By: Priyanka Gudsoorkar | Sujay Mehta | Prakash Gudsoorkar
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International Dental Journal
Integrating Oral Health Into Kidney Care: A Policy Imperative for Chronic Kidney Disease, the US Experience
By: Prakash Gudsoorkar | Edgar Lerma | Sabine Karam | Sompop Bencharit | Lakshman Samaranayake | Priyanka Gudsoorkar | Sujay Mehta
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