Figure.

Conceptual illustration of the intersection between science and policy in pediatric oral health. The science base underlying children’s oral health covers a wide spectrum, ranging from genetic/genomics research and behavioral sciences to dental materials, health services, and social sciences. It is underscored that social determinants of health and other upstream factors are dominant influences on populations’ health. Policies that are informed by science but also “sensitive to human condition” have the potential to affect these upstream determinants and lead to meaningful improvements in children’s oral health.