PREFACE This publication contains edited papers and discussions from a symposium/workshop held May 16-17, 1979, at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. The workshop, cosponsored by the National Institute of Dental Research, the National Institute on Aging, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, brought together participants from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds including dentistry, speech pathology, neurophysiology, and psychology. The aims of the workshop were: (1) to summarize and evaluate current knowledge concerning oral motor behaviors and their impact on oral conditions and dental treatment, and (2) to identify gaps in current knowledge and make recommendations to the Institutes concerning research needs. An interdisciplinary planning committee, cochaired by Drs. Elliot Gale and John Rugh, met initially in June, 1978, to develop plans for the workshop. In addition to Drs. Gale and Rugh, the planning committee included Drs. George Zarb, Norman Mohl, and Peter Lang. Special thanks are due this group, and particularly Drs. Gale and Rugh, for the many hours and the enthusiastic, productive effort they devoted to planning and implementing the workshop and editing the workshop proceedings. Dr. Aaron Ganz, Chief, Pain Control and Behavioral Studies Program, NIDR, Dr. Richard Christiansen, Chief, Craniofacial Anomalities Program, NIDR, Dr. Lois Cohen, Special Assistant to the Director, NIDR, Dr. James Kavanagh, Associate Director, Center for Research for Mothers and Children, NICHD, Dr. Josephine Arasteh, Human Learning and Behavioral Branch, NICHD, and Dr. Bruce Baum, Gerontology Research Center, NIA, also consistently made helpful contributions in planning and implementing this workshop. A workshop such as this which includes scientists from such diverse fields may initially seem a somewhat "high-risk" venture. That this risk is worth taking is, we think, reflected in the significant exchanges of expertise and knowledge that occurred at this workshop, as well as the broadly-based recommendations concerning knowledge gaps and research needs that emerged. Patricia S. Poryant Patricia S. Bryant, Ph.D. Health Scientist Administrator Studies Program Area National Institute of Dental Research |