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Creating global systems for evidence-informed oral health policy
Dental faculty member Alonso Carrasco-Labra

With a background in evidence-based medicine and dentistry, Alonso Carrasco-Labra brings unique skills and perspective to the School of Dental Medicine.

(Image: Kevin Monko)

Creating global systems for evidence-informed oral health policy

Alonso Carrasco-Labra, who joined the School of Dental Medicine in 2021, is a leader in developing new policy and clinical guidelines across areas of medicine.

Katherine Unger Baillie

A serendipitous finding lends new insight into how atopic dermatitis develops
In two panels labeled "control skin" and "AD skin" stained cells show how inflammation is present in patients with atopic dermatitis

New findings in atopic dermatitis reveal an inflammatory cascade unfolding early in disease development, according to researchers from the School of Dental Medicine, the Perelman School of Medicine, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Image: Courtesy of Kang Ko)

A serendipitous finding lends new insight into how atopic dermatitis develops

Research from the School of Dental Medicine, the Perelman School of Medicine, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory reveals a mechanism behind the inflammation that is a feature of the common skin disease.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Teledentistry, educational videos expanding services to persons with disabilities
Dental patient in a wheelchair being pushed into the Penn Dental Medicine Personalized Care Suite.

The Personalized Care Suite of Penn Dental Medicine’s Care Center for Persons with Disabilities. (Image: Penn Dental News)

Teledentistry, educational videos expanding services to persons with disabilities

Penn Dental Medicine is continuing to build upon its services to persons with disabilities through the development of a teledentistry assessment portal and a series of education videos.

From Penn Dental Medicine

Penn Dental Medicine serves Afghani refugees with pop-up clinic
Dental hygienist wearing a mask and goggles cleans the teeth of a patient.

Penn Dental Medicine serves Afghani refugees with pop-up clinic

Responding to an immediate need for dental care in the community, Penn Dental Medicine students and faculty created a pop-up clinic for more than 60 Afghani refugees awaiting permanent placement in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

From Penn Dental Medicine

A chewing gum that could reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission
Side by side panels that compare before treatment with after treatment with ACE2 gum show a marked decline in bubbles, indicating the virus.

A chewing gum that could reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission

In experiments using saliva samples from COVID-19 patients, the gum, which contains the ACE2 protein, neutralized the virus, according to research led by School of Dental Medicine scientists.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Penn at COP26: By the numbers
The midnight sun shines across sea ice.

The midnight sun shines across sea ice along the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. (Image: AP Photo/David Goldman)

Penn at COP26: By the numbers

A look at who is representing the University at this global conference, what they’re focused on, and how it fits into the bigger picture of worldwide climate action.

Michele W. Berger

‘Nanozyme’ therapy prevents harmful dental plaque buildup
diagray showing how a nanoparticle can respond to bacteria in the mouth and kill pathogens

Pairing iron oxide nanoparticles with hydrogen peroxide results in a precisely targeted treatment for killing harmful oral bacteria, breaking down dental plaque, and even diagnosing harmful oral biofilms, according to a new study. (Image: Courtesy of the study authors)

‘Nanozyme’ therapy prevents harmful dental plaque buildup

An iron-oxide nanoparticle that is FDA-approved to treat anemia acts as an enzyme to activate hydrogen peroxide to suppress the growth of tooth-decay-causing biofilms in the human mouth, according to a study led by the School of Dental Medicine.

Katherine Unger Baillie

A two-pronged approach to keep rheumatoid arthritis in check
Image showing body with shoulder, wrist, elbow, and hip joints in red indicating pain and inflammation

Painful inflammation characterizes rheumatoid arthritis, but a new study points to a possibly strategy to alleviate it: boosting levels of the protein DEL-1. 

A two-pronged approach to keep rheumatoid arthritis in check

A new study led by George Hajishengallis of the School of Dental Medicine shows that the protein DEL-1 could reduce the painful inflammation of RA in an animal model.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Smart dental implants
diagram of tooth with metal screw attaching it to gum with words smart dental implant

A “smart” dental implant could improve upon current devices by employing biofilm-resisting nanoparticles and a light powered by biomechanical forces to promote health of the surrounding gum tissue. (Image: Courtesy of Albert Kim)

Smart dental implants

Geelsu Hwang of the School of Dental Medicine and colleagues are developing a smart dental implant that resists bacterial growth and generates its own electricity through chewing and brushing to power a tissue-rejuvenating light.

Katherine Unger Baillie