About Us
The Oral Health CRC seeks to reduce the economic and social burden of oral diseases on Australians.
We bring together world-class scientific and clinical research teams with Australian manufacturers and established global marketers and distributors.
We commenced operation in January 2010 and our work continues the research undertaken by our predecessor, the CRC for Oral Health Science. We were funded from 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2018 under the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program and the contributions of our Participants. The CRC Program is an Australian Government initiative. See Cooperative Research Centres Program. The Oral Health CRC is no longer receiving Commonwealth funding and is no longer part of or associated with the CRC Program. However the CRC is continuing its established collaborative research and commercialisation relationships with its commercial parties.
The challenge:
Oral diseases are among the most prevalent diseases in the Australian community. Almost 60% of 14-year-olds in Australia have had decay in their permanent teeth. More than one in five Australian adults over the age of 65 have lost all their natural teeth, leaving them vulnerable to further health problems. More than 60,000 Australians a year are hospitalised for preventable oral health conditions.
Oral diseases include dental decay (caries), periodontal disease (disease of the gum tissue) and oral cancer.
The cost to the Australian economy of oral diseases is $8.4 billion a year (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare).
A growing body of evidence links oral disease to other health conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, kidney disease, respiratory diseases, inflammatory diseases and some cancers.
Our research programs are working to advance the prevention, diagnosis treatment of oral diseases.
Participants in the Oral Health CRC:
- The University of Queensland (participating in specific projects)
The Oral Health CRC operates as an unincorporated joint venture.
