My Tien Diep

• Torgersen, Gerald; Winsnes, Karianne Ervik; Handal, Trude; Diep, My Tien; Ørstavik, Dag Solmund & Sunde, Pia Titterud (2026). Open‐Weight Deep Learning for Periapical Index Scoring: Training and Comparison of Convolutional Neural Network Models Based on Three Distinct Architectures and an Ensemble Approach. International Endodontic Journal. ISSN 0143-2885. doi: 10.1111/iej.70268. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Aim This study aimed to (i) train and compare three convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures for Periapical Index (PAI) scoring on intraoral radiographs, and (ii) assess whether an ensemble of these models improves performance compared with any single architecture. Methods A dataset of 17,549 apex‐centred image clips extracted from intraoral radiographs was annotated by a calibrated observer (KW) with PAI scores (1–5) and used to train three CNN architectures (ResNet50, EfficientNet‐B3 and ConvNeXt‐Tiny) for PAI scoring. The image clips were split 80/20 into training and validation sets, and model selection was based on validation performance of quadratic weighted kappa (QWK). The three CNN models were combined into an equal‐weight soft‐voting ensemble model, and all four models were evaluated on an independent balanced test set of 200 images (40 per PAI score). QWK was used as the primary outcome metric, and bootstrapping was used to estimate the confidence intervals (CIs). The PAI scale was dichotomized into healthy (PAI 1–2) and diseased (PAI 3–5), and accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and F1 score were calculated. Results The ensemble model achieved the highest performance with a QWK of 0.79 on the test set, followed by EfficientNet‐B3 (QWK = 0.77), ResNet50 (QWK = 0.76) and ConvNeXt‐Tiny (QWK = 0.70), with overlapping confidence intervals (CIs). For the binary PAI classification, the performance of the three CNN models and the ensemble model was comparable. The ensemble model achieved the following results: accuracy 86%, sensitivity 83%, specificity 90%, PPV 93%, NPV 78% and F1 score 0.88. Conclusion Optimization and evaluation of three CNN models and an ensemble model for PAI scoring showed comparable performance on both the five‐class PAI scale and the binary PAI scale on an independent test set. The ensemble model did not show statistically significant improvement over the three individual CNN architectures. The AI models trained and tested in this study are made open‐source under the open‐source MIT licence.

• Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit; Diep, My Tien; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa; Singh, Preet Bano; Young, Alix & Jensen, Janicke Liaaen [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2024). Oral helse blant 65-åringer i Oslo. Den norske tannlegeforenings Tidende. ISSN 0029-2303. 12(134). doi: 10.56373/2024-12-5. Full text in Research Archive
• Diep, My Tien; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa; Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit; Young, Alix & Hove, Lene Hystad (2023). Caries experience and risk indicators of having decayed teeth among 65-year-olds in Oslo, Norway: a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health. 23(1). doi: 10.1186/s12903-023-03432-x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Meeting the oral health needs of the increasing population of older adults presents a major challenge in dental care. Knowledge about the oral health status in the young-elderly age group is essential for the planning of future oral health education and prevention programs. The aims of the present study were therefore to investigate the caries experience among 65-year-olds in Oslo, Norway, and to explore associations between having decayed teeth and sociodemographic, behavioural, and biological factors. Methods A random sample of 65‑year‑olds in Oslo answered a questionnaire and underwent clinical and radiographic examinations (n = 457, 52% men and 48% women) at the Research Clinic, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, between February and December 2019. Primary- and secondary coronal and root caries lesions, root remnants, and missing and restored teeth were recorded. Decayed teeth (DT) were defined as teeth with coronal- and root caries lesions that had progressed into dentine and root remnants, and the DMFT/S scores were calculated. Results The mean number of teeth was 25 (SD: 4) and the mean DMFT was 19.4 (SD: 4.7). Thirty seven percent of the individuals had at least one decayed tooth (DT > 0), and the mean number of filled teeth (FT) was 16.1 (SD: 5.4). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that male gender (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–2.8), basic level of education (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2–2.9), irregular dental attendance (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.0-4.8), and hyposalivation (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.0-4.4) were significant risk indicators for having decayed teeth (DT > 0) (p < 0.05). Conclusions In conclusion, 65-year-olds in Oslo had a low average number of decayed and missing teeth, and a high number of restored teeth. Irregular dental attendance and hyposalivation were the strongest risk indicators for having decayed teeth. Based on the present results, it will be important to ensure access to regular dental care and to increase the emphasis on caries preventive measures for individuals with hyposalivation in this age group.

• Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit; Hove, Lene Hystad; Diep, My Tien; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa & Koldsland, Odd Carsten (2022). Periodontal conditions in a 65-year-old population and prevalence of periodontitis according to three different bone level thresholds. BMC Oral Health. 22(1). doi: 10.1186/s12903-022-02276-1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Aims The aims of this cross-sectional study were to describe the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in a 65-year-old population in Oslo, Norway, and to investigate to what extent the radiographic bone level threshold for periodontitis case definition influences the prevalence. Materials and methods A random sample of 454 subjects underwent a clinical and radiographic examination and answered a questionnaire regarding general health, medications, and smoking habits. Clinical periodontal parameters (periodontal pocket depths, bleeding on probing, mobility, and furcation involvement) and radiographic bone loss were used to identify periodontitis cases and to assess periodontal stage and grade. Results Of the 454 participants, 52.6% were defined as “periodontitis cases”. Of the total study population “unstable cases of recurrent periodontitis” were present in 38.1%, 16.5% of the participants were assigned to stage II, 32.8% to stage III, and 3.3% to stage IV. When lowering the radiographic bone loss cutoff from > 3 mm to > 2 mm or > 1 mm the prevalence of periodontitis increased to 91.9% and 99.6%. Conclusions Periodontitis was common among 65 year-olds living in Oslo, and in the majority of those with periodontitis, the disease was recurrent and unstable. This study also shows that the choice of bone loss cutoff for defining a periodontitis case affects the prevalence estimates to a large extent. In addition, this study addresses weaknesses in the use of the consensus report of the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-implant Diseases and Conditions for epidemiologic studies in its current form.

• Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa; Diep, My Tien; Koldsland, Odd Carsten & Hove, Lene Hystad (2022). Periodontitis in a 65-year-old population: risk indicators and impact on oral health-related quality of life. BMC Oral Health. 22(1). doi: 10.1186/s12903-022-02662-9. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Aims The aims of the present study were to investigate socioeconomic and behavioral risk indicators for severe periodontitis in a 65-year-old Norwegian population, and to investigate how periodontitis impacts oral health-related quality of life. Material and methods A sample of 65-year-old residents in Oslo, born in 1954, was randomly selected for this study. The participants answered a questionnaire regarding country of birth, education, diabetes, smoking habits, dental attendance pattern, and tooth-brushing habits. In addition, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was assessed by the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 questionnaire (OHIP-14). Negative impact on OHRQoL was defined as responding “fairly often” or “very often” to at least one of the OHIP-14 items. The diagnosis of periodontitis was based on clinical and radiographic periodontal measurements and classified based on the consensus report from the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions. Results Of 796 eligible participants, 460 individuals agreed to participate in the present study (response rate 58%). Seven participants were excluded from the analyses due to < 2 remaining teeth (n = 3) or missing questionnaire (n = 4), resulting in a study sample of 453 individuals (233 men and 220 women). An association was found between non-western country of birth, diabetes type 2, lower education, smoking, non-regular dental visits, and severe periodontitis (stage III or IV, n = 163) in bivariate analyses (Chi-square test). However, in the multiple logistic regression model, only non-western country of birth, diabetes type 2 and smoking (former and current), were associated with higher odds of severe periodontitis. The overall mean OHIP-14 total score was 3.6 (SD: 6.1). Participants with stage III or IV periodontitis reported a significantly higher OHIP-14 total score (mean: 4.7, SD: 7.4), indicating a lower OHRQoL, compared to non-periodontitis participants (mean: 2.9, SD: 4.9). Conclusions In the present study, non-western birth country, diabetes type 2, and smoking were found as significant risk indicators for severe periodontitis. Overall, results indicate a good OHRQoL among 65-year-olds in Oslo, however, a tendency of reduced OHRQoL with increasing severity of periodontitis was observed.

• Hynne, Håvard; Tashbayev, Behzod; Diep, My Tien; Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit; Badian, Reza & Chen, Xiangjun [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2022). The relationship between ocular and oral dryness in a cohort from the 65-year-old population in Norway. Scientific Reports. 12(1). doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-13985-6. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In the present study, the relationship between dry eyes and dry mouth was explored in 150 65-year-old subjects randomly selected from the general population in Oslo, Norway. The number of drugs, including xerogenic drugs, and current and previous systemic diseases were recorded. Ocular parameters recorded were the McMonnies Dry Eye Questionnaire, the Ocular Surface Disease Index, the Schirmer I Test, tear film break-up time and ocular surface staining. The oral parameters were xerostomia frequency, Summated Xerostomia Inventory, Clinical Oral Dryness Score, and unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva. The participants with current or previous systemic diseases had significantly more ocular and oral symptoms and significantly more oral clinical findings than the participants without a history of disease. Moreover, correlation and factor analyses demonstrated an association between subjective ocular and oral parameters. A significant correlation between the total number of drugs and the presence of ocular and oral symptoms was also noted. When the participants were categorized based on their ocular symptoms, poorer values were found for the oral parameters among the participants more troubled with dry eyes. The results in the present study call for increased awareness and an interdisciplinary approach in matters related to dry eyes and dry mouth.

• Diep, My Tien; Hove, Lene Hystad; Ørstavik, Dag Solmund; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa; Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit & Sunde, Pia Titterud (2022). Periapical and endodontic status among 65-year-old Oslo-citizens. BMC Oral Health. 22(1). doi: 10.1186/s12903-022-02406-9. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Aim This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) and root-filled teeth in a 65-year-old population in Oslo, Norway, and to investigate associations of pathosis and endodontic treatment with selected individual risk indicators and technical quality of root fillings. Material and methods A random sample of 450 65-year-olds in Oslo answered a questionnaire and underwent a clinical and radiological examination (52% men and 48% women). Periapical radiographs were taken of all root-filled teeth and of teeth with apical radiolucency, and periapical status was evaluated using the Periapical Index. Apex-to-filling distance and homogeneity were assessed for all root fillings. Analyses on individual level and tooth level were performed. The outcome variables were ‘non-root-filled tooth with AP’ (‘untreated AP’), ‘root-filled tooth’, and 'root-filled tooth with AP’. The explanatory variables were gender, education, dental attendance pattern, smoking, remaining teeth (n), tooth group, and root filling quality. Chi-square test and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the associations between outcome variables and explanatory variables. The level of significance was set to p < 0.05. Results The mean number of remaining teeth was 26 (SD: 4). AP was present in 45% of the individuals. Sixteen percent of the individuals had untreated AP and 38% had at least one root-filled tooth with AP. Sixty-six percent of the individuals had one or more root-filled teeth. Untreated AP was significantly associated with a decreasing number of remaining teeth and smoking. All the outcome variables were significantly more prevalent in molars compared with premolars and anterior teeth. Thirty-five percent of the root-filled teeth had AP, and AP was more prevalent in teeth with too short apex-to-filling distance (53%) or unsatisfactory homogeneity (46%). Conclusions The remaining number of teeth was high, and AP and root-filled teeth were prevalent in the present young-elderly population. A notable amount of untreated AP was observed, especially in smokers. The findings in the present study indicate a substantial need for dental care associated with endodontic conditions in the future elderly.

• Diep, My Tien; Jensen, Janicke Liaaen; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa; Young, Alix; Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit & Petrovski, Beata [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2021). Xerostomia and hyposalivation among a 65-yr-old population living in Oslo, Norway. European Journal of Oral Sciences. ISSN 0909-8836. 129(1), p. 1–11. doi: 10.1111/eos.12757. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study aimed to describe the prevalence and associated factors for xerostomia and hyposalivation in a young-elderly population. A random sample of 460 65-yr-old people living in Oslo, Norway, answered a questionnaire and underwent a clinical examination (237 men and 223 women; response rate 58%). Ten percent of respondents reported xerostomia. The median Summated Xerostomia Index was 6 (interquartile range [IQR]: 5–7) and the median Clinical Oral Dryness Score was 2 (IQR: 1–3). The median unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) secretion rate was 0.34 (IQR: 0.20–0.53) mL min–1 and the median stimulated whole saliva (SWS) secretion rate was 1.74 (IQR: 1.24–2.38) mL min–1. In 8% of the study participants the UWS secretion rate was ≤0.1 mL min–1 and in 4% the SWS secretion rate was ≤0.7 mL min–1. Three percent of the study participants had both xerostomia and hyposalivation with respect to UWS. Xerostomia was significantly associated with medication use, having rheumatic disease, and having received radiation therapy to the head/neck region. Hyposalivation with respect to UWS and SWS was significantly associated with medication use and type II diabetes. Even though xerostomia and hyposalivation were not prevalent conditions in this population, clinicians should be especially aware of the salivary conditions in patients taking four or more medications, patients diagnosed with type II diabetes, and those who have undergone radiation therapy to the head/neck region.

• Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit; Singh, Preet Bano; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa; Diep, My Tien & Hove, Lene Hystad (2021). Smell, taste and trigeminal disorders in a 65-year-old population. BMC Geriatrics. doi: 10.1186/s12877-021-02242-6. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Smell, taste and trigeminal disorders likely have a substantial impact on human daily life. However, data regarding the prevalence of these disorders in Norway are scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of smell, taste, trigeminal disorders and associated factors in a 65-year-old population in Oslo, Norway. Methods A random sample of 223 individuals (123 men, 100 women) participated in the study. Medical history was obtained, and unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) and stimulated whole saliva (SWS) were collected to determine salivary secretion rates. Sniffin`n Sticks and Taste Strips (Burghart Messtechnik GmbH, Wedel, Germany) were used for quantitative testing of olfactory and gustatory function. In addition, the participants’ self-reported perceptions of smell and taste, and burning mouth sensation were investigated. Results The results showed that 34 % of the participants had reduced smell (28 % hyposmia and 6 % anosmia) and 28 % had reduced taste perception (21 % hypogeusia and 7 % ageusia). 13 % of the partcipants had a combination of smell and taste disorders. Dysgeusia was reported by 5 % and burning mouth sensation (syndrome) by 3 % of the participants. Hyposmia, hypogeusia and ageusia were significantly more prevalent among men. Significant associations were found between taste disorders and previous history of cerebral hemorrhage and heart attack, and between burning mouth sensation and gastrointestinal disorders. Disturbances in olfactory, gustatory and trigeminal function were significantly related to medication use. Ageusia and burning mouth sensation were significantly more prevalent among smokers. Except from higher prevalence of ageusia among participants with hyposalivation with respect to SWS, no significant associations were found between salivary secretion rate and chemosensory or trigeminal disorders in the present study. Conclusions The present study revealed that one-third of 65-year-old individuals had impaired smell and more than one-fourth had impaired taste function. The prevalence of dysgeusia and burning mouth sensation was very low. Reduced smell and taste perception were more common among men than women. Furthermore, some diseases and medications were associated with chemosensory and trigeminal disorders. Ageusia was associated with SWS hyposalivation.

• Diep, My Tien; Sødal, Anne T. Tveit; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa & Hove, Lene Hystad (2018). Rutiner for oral helse på sykehjem: En undersøkelse blant sykehjemsledere. Den norske tannlegeforenings Tidende. ISSN 0029-2303. 118(9), p. 694–699. Full text in Research Archive

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• Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa; Diep, My Tien & Hove, Lene Hystad (2026). Risk Indicators for Irregular Dental Attendance Among 65-Year-Olds in Oslo. Full text in Research Archive
• Diep, My Tien; Jensen, Janicke Liaaen; Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit; Young, Alix; Skudutyte-Rysstad, Rasa & Hove, Lene Hystad (2020). Are Xerostomia and Hyposalivation Common Problems Among 65-Year-Olds? Caries Research. ISSN 0008-6568. 54(4), p. 449–450. doi: 10.1159/000511860. Full text in Research Archive
• Sødal, Anne Thea Tveit; Singh, Preet Bano; Diep, My Tien & Hove, Lene Hystad (2020). Prevalence of Smell, Taste, Trigeminal Disorders and Quality of Life Among 65-Year-Olds in Oslo. Caries Research. ISSN 0008-6568. 54(4), p. 449–449. doi: 10.1159/000511860. Full text in Research Archive

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