Artificial Intelligence (AI) has a great potential for enhancing the quality of life for millions of people by, e.g. improving outcomes and reducing costs in healthcare. Our research theme "Clinical AI" aims to study and develop innovative AI-enabled technologies for advancing the state of the art of dentistry in research, education, and clinical practices. We have established good collaborations with diverse engineering and science experts in artificial intelligence, AR/VR, computer vision, robotics, sensor, medical imaging, materials science, and 3D printing, and tasked to research and innovate clinically-relevant advanced solution for various applications, such as deep-learning for early detection of caries, periodontal diseases and oral cancers, AI-enabled cloud-based technologies for generating personalized orthodontic or prosthodontic treatment plans and devices, and hyphenated AI-AR/VR/MR robotics to facilitate oral surgery. As such, this can generate long-term social and academic impacts, significantly improve the quality of oral health care in Hong Kong. and place Hong Kong at the forefront of modern and future dentistry.

Theme Leader: Professor James Tsoi

This is a multidisciplinary research group focusing on stem cell-based oro-facial tissue engineering and bio-functional smart materials for craniofacial regeneration. Our major goal is to synergize the two important components, neurogenesis and angiogenesis in tissue regeneration, and to be the world leading research group in this area. Further, we aim to synthesize smart materials that modulate immune-responses, anti-inflammation and anti-infection, through which soft/hard tissue regeneration could be facilitated. We are also focusing on the development of smart drug delivery matrices, therapeutic macromolecules, gene therapy and many others. We have a core of faculty that has established an outstanding record of scientific accomplishment and technological innovation.

Theme Leader: Professor Waruna Dissanayaka

A well-balanced oral microbiome underpins good oral health and well-being. However, the biological activities of a disturbed or ‘imbalanced’ oral microbiome can promote oral and systemic disease and disorder. The aim of the Microbiome Innovation (MI) Research Group is to identify the fundamental mechanisms by which the oral microbiome promotes good oral health, and is resilient towards disease-related processes. Our goal is to improve oral health and well-being by developing innovative, personalized strategies targeting the oral microbiome.

Theme Leader: Professor Shi Huang

Our aim is to utilise modern data analytics to develop ‘smart tools’ to aid in the prevention, early detection, treatment and outcome prediction for life-threatening oral diseases, such as oral cancer and potentially malignant disorders, thus delivering precision medicine and personalised health care. The future will see increasing emphasis on integrating oral and general health science research to improve disease management and enhance both health promotion and maintenance. We plan large collaborative studies facilitating trans-disciplinary research, utilizing ‘Big Data’ and ‘Artificial Intelligence’, to improve our ability to accurately target preventive strategies to identifiable ‘high-risk’ populations to minimize disease progression.

The focus of this research group is on promoting oral health of different population groups. We aim to participate in large interdisciplinary cohort studies to study the contribution of oral health and function to the well-being of the populations, to develop validated and standardized methods for measuring oral health and function, and to study the effects of various types of interventions on the promotion of oral health and function. The current activities include development of tools for measuring oral health related quality of life in Asian populations and development of innovative interventions for management of dental caries.

Theme Leader: Professor Edward Lo