Dental researchers participate in global awareness initiative

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia--An editorial published in the October issue of the Journal of Dental Research focuses on the global theme issue of poverty and human development.

Written by International Association for Dental Research President Deborah Greenspan and IADR Past President John S. Greenspan--both from the Department of Orofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, The AIDS Research Institute and Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco--the article focuses on oral and dental disease, raises awareness, stimulates interest and promotes research on this crucial global issue.

"Oral and dental conditions and diseases are among the most pervasive health problems of mankind and also are among the most neglected," wrote the Greenspan team. "Most oral diseases are clearly linked in incidence, prevalence and even severity to a common set of predisposing and causative risk factors. These are dominated by the themes of poorly balanced diet, inadequate food intake, poor oral hygiene practices, and alcohol, tobacco, and areca product use. In their turn, all those factors are linked to the overriding themes of poverty and socio-economic disadvantage."

The Council of Science Editors organized the global theme issue on "Poverty and Human Development" for October 2007. More than 150 journals, including the JDR, are participating in the initiative.

In concluding the editorial, the Greenspan team wrote, "Oral and dental disease takes its place among the major global health crises of both acute and chronic types. We do not seek here to propose specific solutions to this huge challenge. Instead, we hope to draw the attention of the dental research and professional communities to the severity and nature of the problem."

For more information, go to International Association for Dental Research.