Oral Health Core
 

Oral Health Core

 

The Oral Health Core seeks to identify and remove the educational, political, psychological, social, and nutritional barriers to the prevention and treatment of dental disease in the Richmond Region. Tooth decay is the most common childhood disease. Youth who suffer tooth decay have lower academic achievement in school and are at higher risk for systemic diseases as an adult. Uncontrolled oral disease in childhood leads to progressively declining oral health in adults which are associated with numerous negative outcomes, including health concerns (e.g., cardiovascular disease, preterm birth), employment issues, and lack of social acceptance. 

This transdisciplinary core promotes teamwork toward innovative solutions for improving oral and overall health outcomes for children and adolescents. This core also provides a rich environment for the recruitment and engagement of diverse and underrepresented faculty and students to work and learn through solving oral health problems that disproportionately affect underserved populations.

 

Transdisciplinary core team