24 August 2023

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U of M's Dr. Margherita Fontana named president of European dental caries research organization

By University of Michigan School of Dentistry News

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University of Michigan School of Dentistry faculty member Dr. Margherita Fontana was named president of a prominent European dental caries research group during its recent annual conference, marking the first time the organization has been led by an individual from a university outside of Europe.

The European Organization for Caries Research (ORCA) named Fontana as its president during its 70th annual conference held in the Netherlands in July. Other current officers are from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany.

Fontana is the Clifford Nelson Endowed Professor of Dentistry in the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics. She is recognized internationally as a leading scientist in the field of cariology and has an extensive clinical research background in childhood caries management.

“Caries is the leading dental disease experienced by people around the world, so it’s important to strengthen the worldwide network of researchers who are working to find the best evidence-based solutions for treating and, more importantly, preventing caries,” Fontana said in a university news story.

Fontana said that the organization she'll lead has a longstanding commitment to dental caries research.

"With its new global agenda, ORCA is emphasizing prevention and research on a larger scale and I look forward to helping in this pursuit,” she said. 

Fontana is currently leading two long-term studies of childhood caries funded with major grants from the National Institutes of Health. One expands research into predicting caries risk throughout childhood and the second is a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of Silver Diamine Fluoride, or SDF, in arresting caries in children ages two to five. Both grants include multidisciplinary teams from around the world.

ORCA was founded in 1953 after Swiss and German dentists reviewed reports from the U.S. on the anti-caries effect of fluoridated drinking water and became interested in creating similar programs to impact tooth decay in Europe. Learn more on the ORCA website.