"Wear your mask"

Abstract

The current pandemic has made the wearing of masks a “necessary, if not life-saving, evil”. However, masks have been admired and worn throughout the world for centuries and play an integral part of many activities including customary rituals, cultural events, battles, entertainment, and for protection. They may hide identities, reveal certain personality traits, suggest moods, or act as a barrier between the wearer and the outside world. Masks and mask making has a striking number of similarities to dentistry, and so it seemed fitting to dedicate this year’s cover pages to various types of masks.