Meeting report: a close look at oral biofilms and microbiomes

The Biofilms, Microbiomes and Oral Diseases: Challenges and Future Perspectives symposium jointly organized by Penn Dental Medicine and West China School of Stomatology was held on 30 September 2017 at Penn Wharton China Center (PWCC) in Beijing, China. The topics included the pathogenicity of oral biofilms, novel strategies for the control of biofilm-related diseases, oral microbiome and single-cell approaches, and the link between oral diseases and overall health. Researchers from a number of disciplines, representing institutions from China and Penn Dental Medicine, gathered to discuss advances in our understanding of biofilms, as well as future directions for the control of biofilm-related oral and systemic diseases.