School of Dental Medicine

The oral cavity is a complex landscape, cavernous and full of irregular structures. Using a two-dimensional X-ray to map its variations can only reveal so much. That’s why a technological revolution that has made three-dimensional imaging of the teeth and jaws easier and safer has ushered in a transformation of practice in the dental clinic.

Antarctica was once a balmier place, lush with plants and lakes. Figuring out just how long the continent has been a barren, cold desert of ice can give clues as to how Antarctica responded to the effects of past climates and can perhaps also indicate what to expect there as Earth’s atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide grows.

The winter months come with their own special health challenges. From delicious food everywhere you look to harsh weather conditions to the stress of creating a perfect holiday, the season can be challenging.

Antiretroviral therapies, or ART, have enabled people with HIV and AIDS to live much longer lives, transforming what was considered a death sentence into a chronic condition. Yet concerns for these patients remain.

People with lupus, an autoimmune disease, suffer from fatigue, joint pain and swelling and also have a markedly increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Clinical trials have shown that receiving a transplant of mesenchymal stem cells can greatly improve the condition of lupus patients, yet it has not been clear why this treatment strategy works so well.

For Sunday Akintoye, an associate professor in the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine, his recent selection as a Fulbright Scholar to Nigeri

Periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease, doesn’t just cause soft-tissue inflammation and bleeding. It also destroys the bone that supports the teeth. If it progresses unchecked, it can lead to tooth loss and is even associated with systemic inflammatory conditions like atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. 

Biopharmaceuticals, or drugs that are based on whole proteins, are expensive to make and require refrigeration to store. Insulin, for example, is unaffordable and inaccessible to most of the global population.

The University of Pennsylvania's health schools are showing support for World Water Week by highlighting the University's expertise in a broad range of water-related issues. Each day we'll feature a different topic. Follow along and learn more on Twitter at ‪#‎PennOneHealth‬. 

The immune system not only responds to infections and other potentially problematic abnormalities in the body, it also contains a built-in brake in the form of regulatory T cells, or Tregs. Tregs ensure that inflammatory responses don’t get out of hand and do damage. In autoimmune diseases, sometimes these Treg cells don’t act as they should.