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

• 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
• Identifying a new contributor to tooth decay
  NIH Research Matters, June 27, 2023
• Connecting the Dots: Oral Infection to Rheumatoid Arthritis
  NIH Director’s Blog, March 7, 2023

Related Fogarty News and Information

Photo courtesy U.S. Navy

• Cultivating oral health research within and beyond Thailand’s borders: Q&A with Dr. Waranuch Pitiphat
  Global Health Matters, Jan /Feb 2023

Integrating oral and general health is essential

• Q&A with National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Deputy Director Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque
  
• Fogarty fellow Dr. Ashley Karczewski researched how antiretroviral treatment (ART) influences protective peptides in saliva
  
• Oral health researchers welcome here! – Opinion by Fogarty Director Dr. Roger I. Glass

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
• World Health Organization oral health information
  

Updated April 12, 2024