Progress in the Preventive Therapeutic Pathway of Dental Care: From Prevention and Pre-Operative Management to Treatment and Follow-Up

Dear Colleagues,

The World Health Organization considers oral health a key contributor to overall health, well-being, and patient quality of life. Oral health is associated with the teeth, mouth, and oral–facial structure status, which are essential to perform several functions such as breathing, eating, and speaking, as well as encouraging self-confidence, well-being, and socialization without embarrassment or discomfort.

Oral diseases can involve teeth, oral mucosa, and the oral–facial structure, with potential implications on the patient’s state of health in physical, social, and psychological dimensions.

Oral disease affects about 3.5 billion people and the global burden is growing due to population aging and growth.

This scenario highlights the importance of progress in preventive strategies and treatment (such as pre-operative, operative, post-operative, and rehabilitative phases) in dental care to prevent oral diseases, increase the access to dental care for a wider range of patients including low-income populations and those with dental fear, and in the treating and rehabilitating patients, and provide comprehensive patient care with regular follow-ups.

The goal of the present research topic is to provide a comprehensive view of the current and future progress in public health regarding the prevention, patient behavior management techniques, therapy, and post-operative and rehabilitation approaches in dental care.

In clinical practice, new strategies should facilitate the development of personalized medicine to positively affect the incidence and the disease course.

Furthermore, as oral health is a causal or modifying factor of the patient's overall physical, social, and psychological health, new traditional or technology-based approaches could improve the course or outcomes of other diseases. Hence, the secondary aim of this research topic is also to determine how current and future approaches to the dental patient may also have an impact on oral, but also systemic, social, and psychological health status.

This knowledge will be able to guide the allocation of public resources and private studies on the most beneficial prevention and treatment strategies for public health, which is a constantly evolving global challenge due to an increasing population with increasingly specific needs.

This research topic aims to stimulate collaboration and discussion among experts to promote evidence-based practices and improvements in public health.

We welcome original articles, observational studies, and any type of review articles that contribute to the current and future progress in public health regarding any aspect of the following topics in dental care:

• Oral disease prevention;
• Patient behavior management techniques;
• Oral disease treatment;
• Post-operative and rehabilitation approaches;
• The impact of current and new dental care strategies on oral health and its interconnections with physical, social, and psychological health .

In consideration of the complex challenges presented by oral health and its multidisciplinary implications for public health, submitted articles should adhere to high editorial standards and should demonstrate relevance, impact, and innovation in clinical research or practice in dental care.

We look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Dr. Federica Di Spirito
Dr. Alessia Bramanti
Guest Editors

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• dentistry
• oral health
• oral disease
• prevention
• therapy
• treatment
• follow-up
• rehabilitation
• pre-operative
• post-operative
• management
• dental care
• teledentistry