Interface Oral Health Science 2007 ; Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium for Interface Oral Health Science, Held in Sendai, Japan, Between 18 and 19 February, 2007

Interface Oral Health Science is a major theme for next-generation dental research. That theme is based on the innovative concept that healthy oral function is provided by biological and biomechanical harmony among three systems: oral tissues including the teeth, mucosa, bones, and muscles (host); parasitic microorganisms of the oral cavity (parasites); and biomaterials. The concept posits that oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal disease, and tempo- mandibular disorders should be interpreted as interface diseases that result from disruption of the intact interfaces among these systems. The uniqueness of this concept rests on the fact that it not only encompasses the entire fi eld of dentistry and dental care, but also expands the common ground shared with many other fields, including medicine, pharmaceutical science, agriculture, material science, and engineering.