Nikki Savolainen

Nikki Savolainen is a PhD student at the School of Health and Welfare at Jönköping University since February 2025. Her doctoral thesis focuses on the outcomes of root canal treatment in general dentistry. 

The thesis includes a cross-sectional study based on data from the Jönköping study 2023, a model analysis comparing costs associated with two different policies for cases with persistent asymptomatic apical periodontitis, and an observational follow-up study of root-canal-filled teeth in general dentistry. The follow-up study includes adult patients who had at least one tooth root-canal-filled within the Public Dental Service of Region Jönköping County, Region Östergötland, or Region Kalmar County during 2023. 

The aim is to increase knowledge of endodontic treatment outcomes in Swedish general dentistry, where the majority of root canal treatments are performed, despite research having so far focused on specialist dentistry. The objective is to use this information to develop guidelines for the management of asymptomatic apical periodontitis in root-canal-filled teeth and thereby contribute to a more efficient use of dental care resources. 

Nikki graduated from dental school in 2022 and has since worked as a dentist in Region Jönköping County. She conducts her doctoral studies part-time alongside her clinical work, and since August 2025 she has been working as a resident dentist in endodontics at the Department of Endodontics, Periodontology and Oral Prosthodontics at the Institute of Odontology in Jönköping. She has previously published two articles comparing the cost-effectiveness of different dental treatment options.