Presidential Inaugural Address: Comprehensiveness, Too, in Research on Oral Health and Disease Prevention

¹ School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

(1) The Golden Age of Dental Research has been stimulated by the physical and biological scientists who have joined dentistry's ranks.

(2) Comprehensiveness assumed special significance with the 1967 Comprehensive Health Services Act. The health services included preventive medical, diagnostic, treatment, rehabilitation, mental health, dental, and follow-up services.

(3) Participation and involvement of consumers are built into the planning and operation of health services programs.

(4) It is very likely that there will be increasing participation and involvement of more enlightened consumers in research on the prevention of oral diseases and in policy-making on research activities and support.

(5) The enhancement of health through the prevention and control of general for behavioral scientists. There is a need to support research in the refinement of known facts in addition to discovering new information.

(6) The IADR needs to give its support to research in the behavioral sciences and in community oral health.

(7) The IADR should think about sponsoring small group conferences that would bring together researchers, consumers, health care providers, and representatives of foundations and government to discuss communications and involvement, and suggest modes of action.

(8) The stimulation of research on the organization and delivery of health care services deserves a high priority by IADR.

(9) The IADR has a responsibility to encourage youngsters to seek careers in dentistry and in oral health research.

(10) The IADR must spread the philosophy of comprehensiveness on an international scale by favorably considering many of the recommendations of its International Relations Committee.