ORANGEHealth PPP

The ORANGEHealth (ORal AND GEneral Health) consortium has been active since 2020 as a partnership between all seven Dutch knowledge institutions - universities and universities of applied sciences - in the field of oral healthcare. The mouth is seen as a mirror of general health. The consortium's mission is therefore to shape the future of oral health, in conjunction with health in a broader sense, with a view to appropriate prevention, early detection and effective intervention of various conditions.

Oral healthcare represents a significant (3.5%) share of healthcare costs in the Netherlands and has a structure that is unique, even internationally, with regular preventive examinations (periodic check-ups) and long-term treatment relationships. The historically developed separation between general and oral healthcare does not do justice to the close connection between the mouth and the rest of the body. Interprofessional collaboration, where the preventive focus of oral healthcare is optimally utilized, can lead to significant health gains and increased efficiency. The positive attitude of professionals in oral healthcare toward technological innovations, as well as their interprofessional collaborations, is of great importance in this regard.

ORANGEHealth PPP will support innovations from growth markets, such as the development of salivary peptides into pharmaceuticals and the use of artificial intelligence to predict diseases via mouth sensors. Technologies such as 3D (bio) printing contribute to the development of new materials and to restorative and regenerative applications in oral care. All projects are in line with key technologies from the National Technology Strategy, including biomolecular and cell technology, advanced imaging, artificial intelligence and data science. By stimulating innovations, ORANGEHealth PPP will contribute to the objectives of the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda in the field of Health and Care, and social goals such as emission reduction through sustainable mobility.

The ORANGEHealth multi-year PPP program aims to further shape our mission and is launching three subsidy rounds to stimulate public-private partnerships. The first “Innovation Booster” in 2025 focuses on expanding the network with new SME partners. The second round in 2026 focuses on innovations for Appropriate, Personalized and Effective Care, with a focus on early detection, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The third call in 2027 focuses on the relationship between oral health and general health for the chronically ill. Balanced dual leadership, a clear program structure, clear selection criteria and active monitoring will ensure successful projects with high economic returns in the form of jobs, investments and income, while healthcare expenditure decreases and productivity losses due to diseases decrease through new ways of providing care. ORANGEHealth PPP is open to collaboration with public and private partners (industrial partners, healthcare partners, companies etc.) offering access to state-of-the-art (scientific and applied) technologies, and facilitating joint innovation of the (oral) healthcare of the future. Partners can contact frank.walboomers@radboudumc.nl for information.