NUCOHS sets up new GDP network as it marks fifth anniversary

National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore (NUCOHS) announced the General Dental Practitioner Network (NUCOHS – GDP Network) at its 5th anniversary gala dinner on 5 July 2024. Launched in January 2024 and with 37 GDPs already on board, the Network allows NUCOHS patients whose conditions have stabilised to transit seamlessly to a participating GDP located near their homes.

On the technology front, NUCOHS has embarked on a long-term plan to push new frontiers in dental care using AI and digital innovation. This includes the creation of a dental imaging repository that will aid in the advancement of treatment plans and the generation of data for ongoing and further research. 

NUCOHS will also be organising visits by preschool children in the third quarter of 2024, to familiarise them with dental visits and strengthen preventive oral care among the young population.

• Healthcare Asia,8 July 2024,  NUCOHS reveals innovation plans for dental care through digital technology
  

• Singapore Business Review, 8 July 2024, NUCOHS reveals innovation plans for dental care through digital technology
  

Celebrating five years of smiles: NUCOHS sets up new general dental practitioner network to strengthen community dental care

Masagos calls for more private dental clinics to partner public hospitals

National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore  (NUCOHS), announced the General Dental Practitioner Network (NUCOHS – GDP Network) at its 5th anniversary gala dinner graced by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Health. 

Launched in January 2024 and with 37 GDPs already on board, the Network allows NUCOHS patients whose conditions have stabilised to transit seamlessly to a participating GDP located near their homes. A/Prof Patrick Tseng, Executive Director of NUCOHS, shared that with the larger number of private dental clinics as compared to public dental institutions, it was important to work together with GDPs to ensure that the Singapore population is able to access timely and effective primary dental care.

CNA featured Dr Wilson Lu, Head, Division of Orthodontics and Director of Informatics, NUCOHS as well as Mr Roland Lim, Biomedical Design Technologist, Faculty of Dentistry, who showcased the advanced AI and digital technologies that NUCOHS is leveraging to ensure patients receive the most precise and appropriate treatments. Dr Lu further shared that if technology can be used in the initial screening and triaging of patients, dental institutions can then better channel the right kind of resources to target individual patient needs.

Lianhe Zaobao further interviewed Dr Lu on his patient, five-year-old Max Jebens, who was born with hemifacial microsomia. Max recently went through a distraction osteogenesis procedure to address a severely small lower jaw that was causing him breathing and eating problems. Dr Lu explained how the use of the latest image visualisation tools and technical expertise had enabled the surgery team to visualise and simulate the distraction process before the actual surgery, enabling a shorter surgery time with lower complication rates.

NUCOHS will be organising visits by preschool children in the third quarter of 2024, to familiarise them with dental visits and strengthen preventive oral care among the young population.

• Lianhe Zaobao, 6 July 2024, 国大口腔医学中 心与37家 诊所 组成全科牙医网络 (NUCOHS launches General Dental Practitioner network with 37 clinics)
  

• 8world, 5 July 2024, 马善高呼吁更多私人牙科诊所与公立医院合作 (Masagos urges more private dental clinics to partner with public hospitals)
  

• CNA Singapore Tonight, 5 July 2024
  

• Channel 8 News, 5 July 2024
  

Can AI help a nation prevent oral health disease?

​Prescience is Singapore's first supercomputer devoted to medical research. A/Prof Ngiam Kee Yuan, Group Chief Technology Officer, National University Health System, said Prescience has accelerated the development of artificial intelligence (AI) models to support multiple healthcare use cases, such as National University Health System's own large language model, RUSSELL-GPT.

Dr Mohammad Shaheryar Furqan, Lead Data Scientist at National University Health System and Dr Wilson Lu, Director of Informatics, National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore, explained the significance of using SMILE AI to reduce clinicians' workloads and automate tasks that are repetitive. Dr Lu also elaborated on National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore's vision of using AI as a preventive tool for population health.

How likely are you to develop Alzheimer's disease if your family has a history of dementia?

​On World Alzheimer’s Day on 21 September, the article explores how one’s genes and lifestyle factors can protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease. A/Prof Christopher Chen, Visiting Consultant, Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Hospital, explained how the social aspect of playing mahjong is good for the brain. Dr Jacinta Lu, Clinical Lead and Consultant, Department of Periodontics, National University Centre For Oral Health, Singapore, explained how good dental can help reduce one’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease. 

人工智能牙科工具“SMILE AI”如何照顾你的口腔健康 (How the “SMILE AI” tool helps with oral health)

In a live interview, Dr Wendy Wang, Senior Consultant, Department of Prosthodontic, National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore (NUCOHS), explained the symptoms of gum disease and how to prevent it. She elaborated on how the SMILE AI project, which was developed under the NUHS supercomputer “Prescience”, helps a dental specialist make recommendations for patients to prevent gum disease.

Mr Joseph Xu, Manager, NUS Faculty of Dentistry, shared about his experience as a patient when he underwent a 3D dental scan for a procedure, under the SMILE AI project. His scan is one of 400 such 3D dental scans of patients at NUCOHS, which have been used to train the AI model in SMILE AI. He is also part of the team that helped in data collection to train SMILE AI.

Supercomputer deployed for AI tool needs in NUHS

​National University Health System’ Prescience supercomputer is the first in the healthcare sector. National University Health System inked a collaborative agreement with the National Supercomputing Centre Singapore in December 2021 to build this supercomputer dedicated to healthcare and medical research.

• BioSpectrum Asia, 17 August 2023, Singapore's NUHS launches first AI-driven supercomputer to empower healthcare projects
  

Singapore’s NUHS utilises Prescience supercomputer for healthcare innovations

​Fully operational since 31 July, Prescience is Singapore’s third national supercomputer and the first in the healthcare sector. A collaboration between National University Health System and the National Supercomputing Centre Singapore, Prescience is dedicated to healthcare and medical research and has been powering advancements such as the National University Health System RUSSELL-GPT, the Patient Trajectory Prediction AI Model and SMILE AI.

• The Tech Revolutionist, 23 August 2023, NUHS adds supercomputing juice from NVIDIA to drive AI in healthcare sector
  

NUHS develops its own healthcare GPT

​Leveraging its latest supercomputing facility, National University Health System has recently developed its own large language model (LLM) to enhance clinicians' productivity. A collaboration between National University Health System and the National Supercomputing Centre Singapore, Prescience is dedicated to healthcare and medical research. A/Prof Ngiam Kee Yuan, Group Chief Technology Officer, National University Health System, was quoted on the significance of the LLM for healthcare staff and patients.

• Cryptopolitan, 21 August 2023, ChatGPT for healthcare: Singapore's NUHS taps AI to boost clinicians' productivity
  
• TS2 Space, 21 August 2023, Leveraging supercomputing facility, Singapore's National University Health System develops large language model for clinicians
  

NUHS supercomputer powers AI projects, gives patients better care

Fully operational since 31 July 2023, Prescience is Singapore’s third national supercomputer and the first in the healthcare sector. A collaboration between National University Health System (NUHS) and the National Supercomputing Centre Singapore, Prescience is dedicated to healthcare and medical research and has been powering advancements such as the NUHS RUSSELL-GPT, the Patient Trajectory Prediction AI Model and SMILE AI. 

Reports highlighted that NUHS RUSSELL-GPT can summarise patient case notes and write referral letters for doctors in seconds, with Lianhe Zaobao mentioning that NUHS’s Large Language Models are the first in the healthcare sector to aid doctors in summarising large texts and improving patient care. 

Associate Professor Ngiam Kee Yuan, Group Chief Technology Officer, NUHS; Dr Peter Yu, Senior Consultant, Department of Prosthodontics, National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore (NUCOHS); and Dr Wilson Lu, Consultant, Department of Orthodontics, NUCOHS, were quoted on the significance of these AI projects for healthcare staff and patients.

NUHS leverages supercomputer to drive AI in healthcare

Why are root canal treatments so expensive, and what options do you have if you need one?

A/Prof Patrick Tseng, Director, National University Centre for Oral Health Singapore (NUCOHS), said that the cost of root canal treatment varies for every patient, depending on several factors such as the tooth type, frequency of doctor visits, complexity of the procedure as well as the need to retreat previously root canal treated teeth or need for surgical intervention. The report mentioned that NUCOHS sees more than 1,600 patients on average a year for root canal treatment. 

Patients who require more complex or specialist care may be referred by polyclinics and CHAS dental clinics to NUCOHS and the National Dental Centre of Singapore for subsidised care. At these centres, Singapore citizens get subsidies of 30% to 70% depending on their household income. Financial assistance is also available for subsidised patients at public healthcare institutions.

Opening of NUCOHS @ AH on 3 April 2023

​National University Centre for Oral Health Singapore sets up new specialist dental clinic for seniors with medical conditions and complex needs at Alexandra Hospital to increase accessibility and ease capacity for subsidised specialist dental treatment for seniors.

简化工序比传统假牙更便利 本地研发首套数码假牙 (First locally developed digital dentures using simplified procedures bring convenience)

​NUS Faculty of Dentistry (NUS FoD) has successfully developed the first set of digital dentures locally, with just a click of a button. Led by Asst Prof Tan Hee Hon, Director of Endodontics, Operative Dentistry & Prosthodontics, NUS FoD, the new innovation simplifies the traditional workflow of producing dentures into a “two-visit” service which brings convenience for patients especially seniors.

NUS researchers invent shield to limit spread of infectious diseases such as Covid-19 in dental procedures

NUS Dentistry researchers have developed Dental Dart, a portable tent-like shield that can protect dentists and nurses from infectious diseases such as COVID-19 by reducing the spread of saliva and aerosols. The device is an adaptation of Dart, a shield developed by NUS and NUH to reduce the risk of exposure to pathogens for healthcare workers performing aerosol-generating procedures on COVID-19 patients.