The Systemic Impact of Periodontitis

Dr Rajeev Raghavan completed his medical degree in Bangalore, India, before postgraduate medical training and research in the UK in Diabetes Endocrinology. He earned his MD from the University of Portsmouth, where his research with Professor Michael Cummings explored the intricate relationships between dysglycaemia, oxidative stress, and vascular health, with a focus on aspirin.

As a Consultant in Diabetes Endocrinology, Dr Raghavan has a broad range of clinical interests, including Type 1 diabetes management, integrating technology in diabetes care, diabetic retinopathy, transitional diabetes care, psychological aspects of diabetes and obesity management. He is dedicated to improving diabetes care through initiatives that strengthen primary and secondary care collaboration, enhance professional education, and seamlessly integrate innovative technologies such as continuous glucose monitoring into routine practice.

Leading a dynamic diabetes team at New Cross Hospital (Wolverhampton), Dr Raghavan oversees a comprehensive service supporting nearly 500 insulin pump and hybrid closed-loop patients. His team has adopted innovative approaches to care, including remote monitoring and virtual consultations, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is also a part of the DEKODE project, a multicentre initiative for continuous quality improvement to tackle critical diabetes complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis and severe hypoglycaemia.

Dr Raghavan actively promotes good diabetes self-care by supporting education programmes for healthcare professionals and patients. A strong advocate for interdisciplinary care, he emphasises the importance of increasing awareness among dental healthcare staff and establishing bidirectional referral pathways to support periodontal health in diabetes.

Dr Varkha Rattu qualified from Queen Mary University of London in 2018.

She then undertook the part-time, four-year periodontology postgraduate programme at King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital where she graduated with distinction. Here, she focused on managing complex periodontal cases and actively engaged in research.

Her commitment to excellence has been recognised with several accolades, including two prestigious awards from the British Society of Periodontology and Implantology (BSP). The BSP Audit Award celebrated her work in integrating a periodontal review as part of diabetes consultations and reviews. This initiative led to the creation of the nationally recognised ‘Periodontitis and Diabetes: Your Guide to Better Gum Health’ leaflet. Following this, she was awarded the BSP Systematic Review Prize for her high-calibre research, conducted in collaboration with world-renowned periodontists. This was subsequently published in the highly esteemed Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

Dr Rattu’s pioneering efforts in introducing diabetes HbA1c point-of-care testing into private dental practice have positioned her as one of the first in the UK to offer this service as part of periodontal consultations. By addressing the profound implications of diabetes on periodontal health, she has incorporated co-management strategies that benefit her patients. As a result, Dr Rattu is frequently invited to share her insights on periodontitis and systemic health nationally.

Passionate about bridging the gap between medical and dental care, she subsequently founded the Periodontitis-Diabetes Hub. This educational initiative aims to improve awareness of the critical intersection of periodontitis and diabetes, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Through this work, she continues to make significant contributions to research, education, and patient care.