Open access to oral microbiology

I t is a great pleasure in this inaugural Editorial to present a new partnership for scientific publication in the field of oral microbiology. With the recent development of a wide array of new techniques, particularly in molecular biology, this area has developed tremendously over the last few years. It has also become increasingly clear that the microflora of the oral cavity is an equally important object of investigation as microflora found in the rest of the body. Indeed, there is growing evidence that points to the oral cavity as a significant site for prevention of major diseases in humans.