The first-ever Surgeon General’s report on oral health (May 2000) introduces the mouth as a “mirror for general health and well-being”, identifies a “silent epidemic” of oral diseases and calls for a national effort to improve oral health among all Americans. US figures suggest the treatment for tooth decay, gum disease and oral cancer accounted for an estimated $55-60 billion in 2004 that represents 85% of total dental expenditures. Additionally, more than 108 million Americans do not have dental insurance. Therefore, there is urgent need for future research to address gaps in applied science and science transfer, and accelerate the development and effective transfer of minimally invasive technologies into public health and private practice. These are the goals of the “APPLIED MOLECULAR PHOTOMEDICINE LABORATORY” (AMPL).

Founded in March 2003 with the support of an award from the National Institutes of Health, AMPL is a multi-disciplinary translational research environment, in which scientific, academic, clinical and corporate entities have developed a productive partnership. In AMPL, we bridge the gap between basic science and patient care by developing simple, cheap and rapid technologies (clinical methods and products) for prevention and control of oral diseases using light. We are also committed to providing a multidisciplinary training for a future generation of researchers at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

AMPL is devoted to prevention, which is the highest goal of modern medicine.