Background: The Journal of Oral Biosciences is devoted to the advancement and dissemination of fundamental knowledge concerning every aspect of oral biosciences.Highlight: This review article features the following topics presented in symposia that were held during the annual meeting of the Japanese Association for Oral Biology: "Frontiers of oral physiology," "Genetic and epigenetic changes to determine development, differentiation, and carcinogenesis," "Analytical methods and interpretation of variation in tooth morphology," "Regulatory mechanisms of vertebrate developmental body plan revealed by live-imaging and mathematical analyses," "Studies on dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) through morphological and functional perspectives," and "Oral biofilm and microbiome research".Conclusion: These published reviews in the Journal of Oral Biosciences have inspired the readers of the Journal to broaden their knowledge regarding the various aspects of Oral Biosciences. The current editorial review introduces these exciting review articles. (C) 2016 Japanese Association for Oral Biology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.