Isabela Castro

One of my main planned research projects is Mouth Matters, a global initiative that applies Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) and foresight methodologies to redesign oral healthcare for aging populations. This project emphasizes patient and family activation, ensuring that individuals are fully engaged in their care journey, making informed decisions, and avoiding unnecessary interventions that do not add value to their health. The research also focuses on preventing futile procedures, commercial distortions that disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, and adverse events that compromise both patient safety and healthcare sustainability. By integrating early oral health interventions, digital health tools, and multidisciplinary coordination, we aim to: Optimize resource allocation, reducing avoidable procedures and costs. Empower patients and families through education and shared decision-making, fostering transparency and ethical care models. Eliminate low-value care, shifting the focus from volume-based p