Potential for Discoveries in Charm Meson Physics

The possibility of using charm meson physics to test the Standard Model (SM) is reviewed. In the case of $D^0-\bar{D}^0$ mixing, the SM contributions are carefully considered and the existence of a window for the observation of new physics is discussed. Some examples of extensions of the SM giving large mixing signals are presented. Finally, some distinctive aspects of CP violation and rare decays in charm mesons are discussed.