NYU forms oral health policy think tank

The New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry said it has launched an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary think tank to focus on oral health policy and management.

The NYU Dentistry Center for Oral Health Policy and Management was created in recognition that current oral health policy and management in the U.S. requires a holistic approach that has been lacking, according to the university. In addition to providing programming and academic offerings on oral health policy and leadership for dental students, the center will develop and promote a national agenda for oral health policy and management.

This agenda will recognize the fundamental relationship between oral health and overall health, along with the responsibilities that dental professions have for the overall well-being of the public, NYU said. The center will leverage NYU College of Dentistry's existing resources and will engage with university, local, national, and international partners to create and further this agenda.

The center will be led by founding director Dr. Richard Valachovic, a visiting scholar at NYU College of Dentistry and president emeritus of the American Dental Education Association. Michael O'Connor, executive dean, will serve as founding co-director.