New research out of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) sheds light on a largely underexplored frontier of developmental biology – how mechanical stimuli control growth and patterning in embryonic development. The findings, reported in Science Advances, could have implications for preventing or treating neural tube birth defects in humans.... Read more about New Study Reveals How Mechanical Stimuli Control Early Embryonic Growth and Development

It is well established that periodontitis plays a role in developing numerous diseases and disorders unrelated to oral health. But now, a multidisciplinary team of researchers from Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM), Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and São Paulo State University School of Dentistry (UNESP) highlights the potential to improve cancer treatment outcomes and decrease related adverse events by addressing oral dysbiosis.

Researchers at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham health system, have been awarded a U.S. Department of Defense grant to fund a four-year study of Fibrous Dysplasia (FD), a severe skeletal disease where benign tumors cause bone deformities, fractures, and pain. The disease affects an estimated 1 in 15,000 to 30,000 individuals, and currently has no cure.... Read more about Department of Defense Funding Will Advance Study of Rare Bone Disease at HSDM and MGH

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children in the U.S. with an impact that is felt most acutely in low income, underserved areas. On average, children miss 34 million school hours annually due to emergency dental care. The authors of a recent paper in JAMA Health Forum studied the cost-effectiveness of expanding the dental workforce in underserved areas through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) to evaluate the potential impact of having more dental practitioners providing care in those communities.... Read more about Study Finds an Expanded Dental Workforce Could Lead to Better Health Outcomes for Children

The collaborative effort of a group of periodontal researchers from Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, and the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine has landed their article on the January 2023 cover of Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry.

Dr. Magda Feres, an internationally-recognized scholar who currently serves as dean for Dental Research and Graduate Education and chair of the advanced Graduate Program in Dentistry at Guarulhos University in Brazil, has been named to lead Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s (HSDM) Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity (OMII). She will join HSDM on March 15, 2023.

Feres is an alumna of HSDM and received her Doctor of Medical Sciences degree in Oral Biology at the School while conducting clinical and translational research at The Forsyth Institute, for which she...

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many dental clinics faced temporary closure or capacity restrictions due to what was believed to be an increased risk associated with aerosol procedures. Because dental procedures require clinicians to be in close proximity to their patient’s mouth and nose, practicing dentistry was considered to be a high risk for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection. A new paper published in ...

Ultrasonography—a technique that uses echoes of ultrasound pulses to delineate objects or areas of different density in the body—has been used for many years in medicine, from monitoring babies in the womb to detecting gallbladder disease, however ultrasonography’s use in dentistry is still somewhat new. The development of a small ultrasound probe that fits in the mouth has been a gamechanger in discovering new intraoral uses for ultrasonography.

“It’s become the gold standard for evaluating soft tissue around teeth and dental implants in a very precise and non-invasive way,”...

With the holidays quickly approaching, we all look forward to spending time with family and friends and indulging in some of our favorite traditions and meals. We asked two experts in oral health, Drs. Tien Jiang and Morgan Glaze, how to maintain a healthy mouth and balance nutritional benefits with a few indulgences. Dr. Jiang is an instructor in Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s (HSDM) Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology. Dr. Glaze is a recent graduate of HSDM’s general practice residency program with...