School of Dentistry

Location(s): China; Japan; India; United Kingdom; Argentina

Description

Oral diseases are among the most common diseases of human kind, and the most neglected, according to Dr. John Greenspan, Associate Dean for Global Oral Health at UCSF. Inequalities experienced in early life can have a critical bearing on the health status of people throughout their lives, poor oral health can even affect employment opportunities.

Recognizing this problem, the UCSF School of Dentistry has made improving global oral health a priority in its 2010 strategic plan. One step in that direction was establishing the Global Oral Health program, led by Greenspan. The program is a robust new initiative to greatly expand global health collaboration among those seeking to understand and effectively address oral health challenges. Its mission is to improve oral and craniofacial health worldwide.

The Global Oral Health Program hosts an annual symposium at UCSF to bring attention to the issue.

The goals for the UCSF Global Oral Health program include building, strengthening and coordinating activities in global oral health, along with development and support of programs of excellence in global oral health sciences and international health within the School of Dentistry, interacting with UCSF campus, the University of California as a whole, and other initiatives in global health.