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Captsone 

Project Summary

In this capstone project, we explored the often-overlooked yet biologically and systemically significant link between periodontal disease (PD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Using a scoping review framework, we examined current literature to understand the unidirectional pathways connecting PD to CVD, such as inflammatory cascades and microbial translocation. We uncovered critical communication and policy gaps between the dental and medical fields.

 

Our work highlights how the historical segregation of these disciplines and structural barriers like privatization and siloed electronic medical records contribute to missed opportunities for preventive care and early intervention. Through this project, we aimed to reframe PD and CVD not as isolated conditions, but as interconnected outcomes of a fragmented healthcare system, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, shared clinical pathways, and policy reform to promote equitable, patient-centred care.

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Joint Effort Team: Sara (Left), Rishika (Centre), Vivian (Right)

Milestones

This capstone project was completed in structured phases to ensure a thorough and iterative exploration of the link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. Each milestone marked a key stage in the development of our scoping review—from foundational research and framework building to critical analysis and solution-focused implementation. The timeline below outlines the evolution of our work and the steps taken to translate literature into actionable insights for interdisciplinary care.

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02/2025 - 04/2025

Milestone 3

The final phase of the project focused on:

  • Implementing all revisions and feedback

  • Finalizing the full scoping review with properly formatted citations and visual aids (e.g., PRISMA flow diagram)

  • Proposing an evolved screening and referral mechanism that emphasizes early detection and integrated care models for improved patient health outcomes

  • Highlighting real-world implementations, such as integrated EMRs, interdisciplinary education, and national awareness campaigns

11/2024 - 02/2025

Milestone 2

Building on the initial draft, we:

  • Integrated feedback from our faculty advisor

  • Expanded and finalized the scoping review skeleton

  • Conducted full-text screening and data charting

  • Refined the narrative to clearly communicate interdisciplinary gaps and the public health relevance of PD-CVD linkage

08/2024 - 11/2024

Milestone 1

We began with a comprehensive literature search to explore the biological and systemic connections between periodontal disease (PD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This phase involved:

  • Developing a preliminary research question

  • Establishing inclusion/exclusion criteria

  • Using Covidence to begin title and abstract screening

  • Outlining the initial skeleton of the scoping review based on early themes identified in the literature

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