Barcelona: Filipino dentist Dr. Maritess Oliveros Villarico has clinched the Pediatric Oral Health Research Award (South East Asia Division) in Spain last month, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the awarding was held during the 103rd General Session of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) in Barcelona on June 27. Consul General Maria Theresa S.M. Lazaro, during her recent visit to the Philippine Consul General in Barcelona, congratulated Villarico and hailed her role in bringing recognition to Filipino research.

Dr. Villarico's achievement marks an important milestone for Filipino dental professionals committed to highlighting Philippine-based research on a global stage. The Filipina doctor led the research titled 'Risk Factors for Early Childhood Caries in a High-Incidence Population,' which focused on barangay health centers in Caloocan City and tracked toddlers over a two-year period, including during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.

One of the leading pediatric dental care advocates in the country, Villarico was recognized for her contribution to advancing the understanding of pediatric oral health among children and adolescents. "The main findings revealed that 76.5 percent of the study participants-who had an average age of 36 months and about 19 teeth-were already suffering from dental caries," Villarico said.

Her primary recommendation is to integrate oral health education into maternal and child care programs, even before children's teeth begin to erupt. Villarico's pioneering work, which has significantly influenced practices in dental trauma management and pediatric endodontics, was evaluated by an international panel of experts and stood out among the most distinguished entries from across Southeast Asia. The award was sponsored by the Taiwanese Association of Pediatric Dentistry.