ADEMA receives double recognition at the 2025 Health Gala for its work in humanization and applied research in oral health.
>> With this double recognition, it consolidates its role as a university institution committed to scientific innovation and the construction of a more equitable society. ADEMA has been recognized by the Balearic Government’s Ministry of Health with two awards at the 2025 Balearic Islands Health Gala, held at Palma’s Teatro Principal under the slogan “Pride of Our Health.” The institution was recognized in the Humanization and Research categories, highlighting the impact of its projects in the healthcare, academic, and social fields. In the Humanization category, ADEMA received the award for its program of care and oral health promotion for vulnerable groups, promoted by the ADEMA+ Foundation. This initiative combines academic excellence with social commitment through a service-learning model, in which dentistry students and students of Oral Hygiene and Dental Prosthetics training courses actively participate under clinical and teaching supervision. The program collaborates with more than 30 NGOs and social organizations in Mallorca, as well as the Social Services of 15 municipalities, including Palma and the Mancomunitat del Pla. Thanks to this collaborative network, during the 2024-2025 academic year, more than 2,500 people in vulnerable situations were treated at ADEMA’s Integrated University Clinic, a facility equipped with state-of-the-art technology. In addition to healthcare, community prevention campaigns and educational workshops on healthy habits, oral hygiene, and healthy eating are promoted. The project’s international dimension is embodied in the “Island to Island” program, which has been running in Wasini, Kenya, since 2023. On this small island, teams of volunteer professionals, teachers, and students have served nearly 3,000 people through prevention and basic assistance campaigns, in addition to conducting workshops at the local school to promote hygiene, nutrition, and access to clean water. Educational workshops and recreational activities are also held at the Wasini school, where approximately 250 children attend. Topics such as oral hygiene, handwashing, food preservation, and access to clean water are addressed with a culturally adapted and participatory approach. In the Research category, ADEMA has been awarded for the project “Development of Artificial Intelligence for Early Diagnosis of Oral Cancer,” a line of applied research co-funded by the European Union and the Balearic Islands Government. The project, approved by the Research Ethics Committee, uses neural network models to noninvasively detect premalignant and malignant lesions from 2D (intraoral photographs and X-rays) and 3D (ultrasound, CT, and CBCT) images. The main objective is to adapt artificial intelligence algorithms to achieve earlier detection of oral cancer, increase patient survival rates, and reduce the costs of late treatment. The research is supported by a comprehensive database of images obtained at the ADEMA University Clinic, as well as collaboration with international universities, the Spanish Association Against Cancer, and leading hospitals. Furthermore, ADEMA participates in the European Federation for Cancer Images (EUCAIM), sharing its database and contributing to the creation of a pan-European repository of medical images. The awards were accepted by the president of ADEMA, Diego González, and the president of the Research Advisory Council and head of studies for the Dentistry Degree, Dr. Pere Riutord, who emphasized that these recognitions are the result of the collective efforts of teachers, researchers, students, and collaborating social organizations. With this double recognition, ADEMA consolidates its role as a university institution committed to scientific innovation and building a more equitable society, in which oral health is understood as a universal and accessible right.
IMAS and ADEMA promote oral and nutritional health among older adults who use CPAP machines.
>> The agreement includes workshops, sessions, and preventive activities taught by undergraduate students with the goal of promoting healthy habits among seniors. The president of the Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs (IMAS), Guillermo Sánchez, and the director general of the ADEMA University School, Carlos López, signed a collaboration agreement today at the IMAS headquarters to develop workshops and training activities aimed at promoting oral and nutritional health in older adults. The event was also attended by the island’s director of the Promotion of Personal Autonomy, Catalina Maria Mascaró, members of the ADEMA teaching team, the head of studies for the Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Alicia Julibert, and the coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in Dentistry, Daniela Vallejos. The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation to carry out activities and training sessions for users of the IMAS Centers for the Promotion of Personal Autonomy (CPAP), with the goal of improving their oral and nutritional health. The activities will be led by students from the Dentistry and Human Nutrition and Dietetics degrees at ADEMA, under faculty supervision, and will include participatory learning strategies, in-person activities, and complementary educational materials. This project will provide seniors with practical tools and knowledge to promote a balanced diet and maintain proper oral hygiene, two key factors for active and healthy aging. Furthermore, these activities promote socialization, active participation, and health awareness, all of which are essential for improving self-esteem and preventing isolation or functional decline. Direct contact with future healthcare professionals also contributes to creating an environment of respect, listening, and personalized attention. At the same time, future professionals will be able to apply their knowledge in a real-life setting, contributing to their comprehensive training with a social and community perspective. The president of IMAS, Guillermo Sánchez, emphasized that “this collaboration reinforces our commitment to prevention and health promotion among older adults, providing them with practical and tailored resources to improve their daily well-being.” He also emphasized that “CPAPs are a privileged space for carrying out initiatives that improve the quality of life of our older adults and foster their independence.” ADEMA’s Director General, Carlos López, explained that “this project responds to a real need from a multidisciplinary and community perspective in this population segment.” Furthermore, it aligns with public policies promoting active aging, preventing dependency, and person-centered care, while reinforcing the university’s commitment to the social environment and the training of professionals with a sense of responsibility and a vocation for service. Carlos López explained that “the workshop content will focus on two key areas: oral health and healthy eating. Oral hygiene practices, early detection of problems such as cavities, periodontal disease, and oral cancer, as well as the proper use of dentures, will be addressed. Secondly, topics related to nutrition in the elderly will be covered, with a special emphasis on the Mediterranean diet, the prevention of malnutrition, and strengthening the immune system through a balanced diet.” With this initiative, the Consell de Mallorca, through IMAS, consolidates its commitment to promoting personal autonomy and networking with third-sector and academic organizations to advance toward a more engaged and healthy society.
ADEMA and Son Espases have joined forces to develop a pioneering 3D touch simulator for colorectal cancer, which will be applied to other surgical specialties in the future.
>> Colon cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly tumors in the Balearic Islands. >> With this public-private collaboration, physicians and students will be able to train with real digital models, experiencing the resistance of tissues and different anatomical textures, as if undergoing a real procedure. >> This program is ADEMA’s commitment to research for the new degrees in Medicine, Biomedical and Health Engineering, and Biomedicine being developed at the new Coll d’en Rabassa Campus. The ADEMA University School and the Health Living Lab at Son Espases University Hospital have launched a pioneering international technological project that marks a milestone in medical-surgical training: a haptic (tactile) simulation system applied to virtual training for the treatment of colorectal cancer, which in the future could be extrapolated to real-life interventions in various fields of surgery. According to ADEMA President Diego González, this technology allows the tactile sensation to be recreated during virtual medical procedures. This means that, in addition to seeing and planning a surgery or examination, professionals can “feel” in real time the resistance, texture, and consistency of the tissues they will manipulate in the human body. In this regard, he argued that it is ADEMA’s commitment to research for the new degrees in Medicine, Biomedical and Health Engineering, and Biomedicine being developed at the new Coll d’en Rabassa Campus. Colon cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly types of cancer in the Balearic Islands. Its incidence has been increasing in recent decades, and it is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the Balearic Islands. It is rare before the age of fifty, but becomes more common around the age of sixty. It is a tumor that originates from abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells in the colon or the rectal area of the large intestine, and it usually does not present symptoms until it is very advanced. The first clinical application of this system, following its regulation and validation for training, will be laparoscopic colorectal surgery, a key procedure for addressing this type of digestive cancer. From now on, the procedure can be trained with a remarkable degree of realism, which will improve therapeutic precision and patient safety. Furthermore, the phases for its subsequent application in other specialties have already been defined. >> Haptic simulation allows the patient’s own tissue strength, elasticity, and texture to be perceived in virtual environments, providing greater precision and safety in medical-surgical training. The goal of both institutions is to create a versatile simulation system customized for each patient, applicable in various fields of medicine and surgery, focusing on procedures that require high precision and intensive tactile learning. The coordinator of the Son Espases Simulation Center and 3D Unit, Dr. Leandro Broggi, states: “This technology will significantly improve surgical planning, as we will not only see the organs, but also be able to feel them. Until now, all programs display standard images, as if they were a video game; with this system, the organ will be the patient’s own, with its anatomical characteristics. This completely changes the way we prepare for an operation.” This improvement will represent a qualitative leap in clinical-surgical learning and will reduce complications in real-life interventions, especially in the resection of difficult-to-access tumors. Haptic simulation, the future of medical learning Haptic simulation combines specialized software and mechanical devices that generate tactile feedback, allowing the user to experience the physical conditions of a clinical procedure in their hands, as if performing it directly on a patient. This technology, already applied by the ADEMA University School in the field of dentistry, will now be used in other medical specialties and interventions: laparoscopic surgery, interventional radiology, spinal surgery, traumatology, ophthalmology, and otorhinolaryngology. Cristina Granados, managing director of Son Espases University Hospital, emphasized: “This collaboration reflects our firm commitment to technological innovation as a driver of improved care. We promote the use of tools that not only transform medical training but also have a direct impact on the safety and well-being of our patients.” ADEMA President Diego González further explained: “Thanks to innovative proprietary software, developed by ADEMA’s technical team, and high-precision haptic hardware, professionals will be able to work on digital twins constructed from real patient files. This allows them to plan and practice a procedure in a safe, controlled, and realistic manner before taking it to the operating room.” Preparation with digital twins: safety and accuracy One of the major benefits of this system is the ability to perform preclinical training on accurate three-dimensional reconstructions of the human body, generated from real patient examinations. This virtual environment allows for anticipating the specific anatomy of each case, identifying potential anatomical risks, and training with a level of detail that until now was only possible in real-life surgery. The difference with other simulation tools is radical: haptic technology allows users to perceive bone density, tissue texture, or the consistency of a tumor. This sensory component transforms learning: it enables students or professionals to acquire much more refined and realistic skills and gain confidence before facing a real clinical case. A strategic collaboration with an international impact The project is being developed at the Health Living Lab, led by Luis Alegre, under the direction of Dr. Leandro Augusto Brogi Fortti, coordinator of the Simulation Center and 3D Unit at Son Espases University Hospital, together with its co-developers, Dr. Álvaro García Granero, a general surgeon specializing in coloproctology, and Marc Ferrà Canet, head of the 3D Unit and the research group at the ADEMA University School. This group is comprised of software specialist Óscar González, Dr. Pere Riutord, Dr. Carlos López, and engineer Mauricio Sáenz-Laguna. During a series of technical meetings, progress will be made on the design of the first haptic simulator for laparoscopic colorectal surgery, and the phases for its subsequent application in other specialties have already been defined. The goal of both institutions is to create a versatile simulation system applicable to different areas of medicine and surgery, focusing on procedures that require high