The past several years have witnessed a surging interest in studying the skeleton as an integral component of whole-body physiology, and such studies have uncovered novel regulatory circuitries between the skeletal and the neuronal or the metabolic systems. Such findings have underscored the intimate connection between skeletal and overall health. In addition, new insights about the cellular origin and molecular regulation of skeletal and dental stem cells are being provided at a record pace and studies of rare bone diseases have produced unprecedented progress in both mechanistic understanding and potential therapeutics. The 2018 GRC is designed to showcase the latest discoveries in Skeletal and Dental Stem Cells, Craniofacial Biology, Skeletal Aging, Rare Bone Diseases and Integrative Skeletal Physiology, among other important topics. Besides the invited speakers, approximately 20 short talks will be selected from submitted abstracts. Support from the conference budget will be available to support junior scientists including students, postdocs and early career investigators.