This course consists of series of lectures covering the anatomy, histology and physiology of periodontal tissues, pathogenesis and microbiology of periodontal diseases, epidemiology, and local and systemic risk factors associated with periodontal diseases. The lectures are intended to provide students with thorough understanding of the current and classic literature and research related to the relationship of plaque and inflammatory periodontal diseases, the current classification of periodontal diseases, the natural history of periodontal disease in a variety of populations and the impact of environmental and genetic influences on host susceptibility.