Setting the stage: changes in prevalence and incidence of the major oral diseases, O. Fejerskov, V. Baelum; risk factors and inference of causality, J.D. Beck. Challenging the paradigms: the control of oral biofilms - new approaches for the future, P.D. Marsh; what explains the caries decline?, A. Sheiham; microbial specificity and dental caries, J.S. van der Hoeven, Helderman van Palenstein; microbial specificity and periodontal disease, A.J. van Winkelhoff; systematic impact of periodontal infections, K. Mattila. Orofacial patterning and regeneration: sonic hedgehog in craniofacial morphogenesis, D. Hu, J.A. Helms; facial growth and patterning - dysmorphology; M.J. Dixon; odontogenetic patterning, P.T. Sharpe; skeletogenesis in the head, P. Thorogood, S. Sarkar, R. Moore; biomineralization in oral tissues, A. Linde; bone regeneration and repair, M.H. Mankani, P.G. Robey; tissue repair in embryos, P. Martin. Host-microbial interactions in the oral cavity: clonal basis of bacterial virulence, M. Kilian; environmental regulation of gene expression in oral streptococci - strangers in a strange land, M.C. Herzberg; IgGFc receptor polymorphisms - genetic risk factors for periodontal disease, T. Kobayashi, et al; oral tolerance - prospects for anti-pathogenic vaccination, C. Czerkinsky; links between microbial colonization, inflammatory response, and tissue destruction, H. Birkedal-Hansen. Saliva in health and disease: regulation of salivary secretion - interactions between signalling pathways; protein structure and function relationships - mucins; protein structure and function - histatins; secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor, not just a protease inhibitor; gene transfer and therapy - paradise lost? The future: chemoprophylaxis in the oral cavity; future strategies to control oral infections; re-engineering the function of salivary glands; the oral cavity and human gene-mediated diagnostics and therapy.