The Advancing Multifunctional Dental Biomaterials (AMDB) Research Excellence Cluster has recently been established to pursue interdisciplinary research and innovation aimed at the development of smart dental materials with biocompatible, bioactive, antimicrobial, physical, and chemical properties tailored towards specific oral health needs. Smart materials are described as those that can be controlled through the application of an external stimulus, making them an interesting area of research to enhance dental care. In parallel, an extended research direction seeks the development of non-toxic, low-cost dental materials to serve communities with limited access to oral care, along with dental professionals working in remote areas, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and more. Oral diseases remain a major public health challenge, affecting more than 3.5 billion people globally.
