Alexandria, VA, USA – A Symposium exploring the shortcomings of exclusively Euro-centric oral microbiome research was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA.
Oral microbiome research to date has focused primarily on European populations, particularly in large urban centres housing academic institutions with access to research funding. Key anthropological perspectives examining the sociocultural, epidemiological, genetic and environmental factors that influence the oral microbiome have also been Euro-centric. Very little is known about how the oral microbiome mediates both oral and general disease risks specifically within Indigenous and other vulnerable populations.
The symposium provided an overview of the history of oral microbiome research, and showed how the exclusivity of oral human microbiome research suggests that the study populations used to date do not have the diversity required to fully appreciate human genetic or behavioral influences. Speakers from the USA, the UK, and Australia, including Indigenous Australia, provided an engaging forum in both elucidating the far-reaching influence of the oral microbiome in oral and general health, and the multi-faceted shortcomings of oral microbiome research to date. A special issue of the Community Dental Health journal features the four papers from this symposium and were disseminated at the General Session.
Organized by Lisa Jamieson, the Symposium, “Oral Microbiome Research – A Call for Equity and Inclusion” took place on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 2 p.m. Central Standard Time (UTC-6).
About IADR
The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research for health and well-being worldwide. IADR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. Learn more at www.iadr.org.
About AADOCR
The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being. AADOCR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. AADOCR is the largest division of IADR. Learn more at www.aadocr.org.