The future of salivary diagnostics

One of pioneers in salivary diagnostics is David T.W. Wong, D.M.D., D.M.Sc., the Associate Dean of Research at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Wong is also the Director at the UCLA Center for Oral/Head & Neck Oncology Research and Director of the Dental Research Institute at UCLA. Dr. Wong and the UCLA Dental Research Institute group have been instrumental in the development of salivary diagnostic biomarker profiles, which include: proteome, transcriptome, microRNA, metabolome and microbe. The Wong Lab/UCLA has established a research base that can serve as the scientific foundation for future dental and biomedical studies.

The UCLA research group has also developed statistical and informatics tools for salivary biomarker detection and validation. A prototype of this technology is a portable, integrated system that can rapidly detect multiple salivary proteins and other substances. This is an example of "point-of-care" technology that can be used at a healthcare provider's office to analyze oral fluid samples for disease or early signs of disease, eventually leading to chairside screening. Before this becomes common practice, scientists need to further investigate the potential diagnostic value of saliva and develop reliable and feasible technologies with high detection sensitivity. The future use and integration of salivary diagnostic technology may strengthen interdisciplinary patient care by changing the role that dentists and dental practitioners will play in healthcare. (Sources: A Primer on Salivary Diagnostics, American Dental Association. Salivary Diagnostics, The Wong Lab/UCLA School of Dentistry, The Dental Research Institute website).