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Oral and dental health news, resources and funding for global health researchers

Oral health is an increasingly important part of overall health. According to a World Health Organization oral health fact sheet, oral diseases are the most common noncommunicable diseases and affect people throughout their lifetime, causing pain, discomfort, disfigurement and even death.

Oral health issues include access to dental care, rural fluoride use, oral side effects of tobacco use, oral hygiene education, nutrition, and treatment of children with cleft palates and noma. Oral global health also has varied implications for numerous diseases and cancers. A range of oral issues are also often early indicators of HIV infection. Oral manifestations of some diseases can be life-saving if diagnosed and treated appropriately.

At NIH, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) leads oral, dental and craniofacial health research and research training efforts.

Recent News

• Clear Plastic Aligners Give Patients with Brittle Teeth New Smiles
  The NIH Catalyst, September-October 2024
• Defining the genetics behind cleft palate
  Global Health Matters, July/August 2024
  
• Implementation of REDCap mobile app in an oral HIV clinical study, co-authored by former Fogarty Global Health Fellow Ashley Karczewski
  BMC Public Health, February 28, 2024
  
• Integrating Oral Health Within Kenyan HIV Research & Policy Structure: Stakeholder Analysis, co-authored by Fogarty grant recipient Ana Lucia Seminario
  Annals of Global Health, February 13, 2024

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Featured Video

Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque on Oral Health Research

In this episode of Talking Global Health with Fogarty, Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research at the National Institutes of Health, discusses her inspirations, her challenges, her research, and her goals. Her scientific work has explored potential causes for salivary gland disease in patients living with HIV and has evaluated the oral microbiome’s impact on cancer-causing viruses and HIV outcomes.

• Watch: Talking Global Health with Fogarty Episode 2: K Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque on Oral Health Research 
  

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NIH News and Resources

• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
• NIDCR international research activities
• NIH supported dental schools: NIDCR Grants to US Dental Institutions
• MedlinePlus Dental Health topic page

Other US Government Resources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Oral Health

Other Online Resources

• American Dental Association (ADA) International Programs
• International Association for Dental Research (IADR)
• International Federation of Dental Education Association (IFDEA)
• World Dental Federation
• World Oral Health Day

Updated August 15, 2025