June 04, 2010 02:06am EST 

Very few institutions in the world can claim to have exceeded the
traditional limits of oral medicine. One institution that can is the
Forsyth Institute, located in Boston. Since their inception in 1910,
Forsyth has enjoyed a proud history of meeting the oral health needs
for kids in the Boston area, around the nation, and around the world.
In the mid-1900s, researchers at Forsyth changed the landscape of the
oral health profession with their discovery of the relationship
between dental decay and bacteria. The revelations led to the
development of the Forsyth Institute into an independent research
organization whose mission is dedicated to advancing human health and
well being through scientific discovery and education.
While the Forsyth Institute was created to study oral health, their
focus has grown over time to include the study of areas such as
diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and regenerative medicine. Using
this multidisciplinary research approach to analyze and prevent the
severe systemic ramifications of oral infections. As the most trusted
authority in their field, the Forsyth Institute has steadily redefined
convention in the field. Their work has inspired others in their
profession to re-evaluate the scientific basis for oral disease.
Additionally, Forsyth brings its expertise in oral disease prevention
and treatment to their community through the ForsythKids school-based cavity prevention program. Forsyth Kids is committed to delivering effective oral health care to children at risk, one of the most
pressing oral health challenges of today. Through the program,
Forsyth aims to increase access and improve health, while creating a
model that can be replicated in any community. The children enrolled
in ForsythKids receive a dental exam, tooth cleaning, preventive care
consisting of sealants, fluoride and oral health educations in their
elementary schools, twice a year.
Forsyth focuses its research on several selected areas, including
oral-systemic disease connections, where they unlock the relationship
between the mouth and the body including linkages to heart disease,
stroke and diabetes. They also research minimally invasive
diagnostics and treatments using saliva to diagnose oral cancer,
diabetes, gum disease and more. Their research on regenerative
medicine offers the potential to repair the effects of cancer, birth
defects and injury. Additionally, Forsyth researches skeletal biology
and biomineralization, molecular microbiology, immunology,
patient-oriented research, education and oral health prevention.
Forsyth, as an independent organization, is affiliated with Harvard
University and has collaborations with different universities and
corporations around the world.
With a mission “to lead the discovery, communication and application
of breakthroughs in oral health and disease prevention that will
significantly improve the health and well-being of our nation and the
world,” Forsyth Institute continues their century long commitment to
the community and profession with an expertise and dedicated that is
unmatched in their field.