The University of Washington (UW) School of Dentistry has unveiled the Center for Global Oral Health, a new organization designed to promote collaborations in dental research and education, including faculty and student exchanges, with partners around the world.
The center will be headed by Timothy DeRouen, PhD, a professor of oral health sciences in the School of Dentistry and of biostatistics in the School of Public Health, according to the university. He was interim dean of the dental school from 2011 to 2012.
The School of Dentistry is already an active international player in oral health, with collaborations and interactions involving more than 40 other countries. DeRouen said he anticipates establishing working ties between the new center and the Global Oral Health Inequalities Research Network of the International Association for Dental Research. He also expects to be working with the Global Oral Health Interest Group of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health.
The Center for Global Oral Health will oversee existing activities such as the Summer Institute, along with a clinical, behavioral, and public health research training collaboration with several universities in Thailand. The latter program is funded by a training grant from the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health. The agenda also encompasses a study of orofacial clefts in Thailand, proposals for oral health disparities research in Peru, and ongoing student exchange programs in Chile, Taiwan, and Thailand.
