why oral health research is important ?
The World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Programme gives priority to research helping correct the so-called 10/90 gap, which relates to the fact that only 10% of funding for global health research is allocated to health problems that affect 90% of the world’s population. As knowledge is a major vehicle for improving the health of the poor in particular, the WHO Oral Health Programme focuses on stimulating oral health research in the developed and developing world to reduce risk factors and the burden of oral disease, and to improve oral health systems and the effectiveness of community oral health programmes.
Building and strengthening research capacity in public health are highly recommended by WHO for effective control of disease and the socioeconomic development of any given country.
The major challenges of the future will be to translate knowledge and experiences of disease prevention into action programmes. Advances in oral health science and knowledge have not yet benefited developing countries to the fullest extent possible.
Clear disparities in economic strength, political will, scientific resources and capabilities, and the ability to access global information networks have, in fact, widened the knowledge gap between rich and poor countries. The WHO Oral Health Programme contributes to the process of redressing the imbalance in the distribution of knowledge about oral health, so that the results of research will benefit everyone, including the poor, in a sustainable and equitable manner.
In particular, more research should be devoted to: 
Modifiable common risk factors to oral health and chronic disease, particularly the role of diet, nutrition and tobacco 
Oral health - general health - interrelationships 
Psychosocial implication of oral health/illness and quality of life • Inequity in oral health and disease and the impact of socio-behavioural risk factors •
Identification of the most indicative oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS •
Population studies of oral mucosal lesions, including epidemiological surveys of HIV/AIDS related oral disease •
The burden of oro-dental trauma, particularly in developing countries, and related risk factors •
Evidence in oral health care: clinical care and public health practice • Translation of knowledge into clinical and public health practice and operational research on effectiveness of alternative community oral health programmes •
Health systems research on reorientation of oral health services towards prevention and health promotion.
High quality research on oral health systems may be instrumental to adjustment of programmes and services in both developed and developping countries in several ways: 
Supporting initiatives that will strengthen research capability in developing countries so that research is recognised as the foundation of oral health policy. 
Increased involvement of WHO Collaborating Centres on Oral Health in high-priority areas of research within national, regional or interregional centres. •
Encouraging oral health research training programmes at local level or based on interuniversity collaborative “sandwich programmes”.  Providing universities and research institutes in developing countries with easy access to the scientific literature within oral health and on-line access to scientific articles and reports. 
This reorientation requires a strengthening of the health research sector, an environment that is more conducive to research-informed policy and practice, and more focus on key priorities for research to improve health systems. The analysis and recommendations of the report apply to oral health systems and oral health research as well. The report proposes the following recommendations:
More investment is needed in relatively under-funded areas of health research, especially for a new, innovative approach to research on health systems.