The research mission of dental schools is facing several
challenges, including a critical shortage of faculty. Economic barriers often
deter potential researchers from careers as scientific investigators. The
demands to make money after graduation often further restricts who enters the
field. Yet, without these researchers we would not have many of the
scientific advances we have now. According to Dr. Martha J. Somerman, Director
of NIDCR, “some of the most interesting issues in human biology and
public health” include “defining the developmental genomics of the human head
and face, developing saliva-based tests to detect disease, targeting therapies
to directly halt head and neck cancer, tracking the structural dynamics of the
microbial communities that inhabit the mouth, developing better pain
management, regenerating bones and teeth, and exploiting our natural immunity
to fight infection and inflammation.”
In FY2017 NIDCR received a federal appropriation of $425.8
million. In FY18 they received $447.7 million. Much of their funding has
been passed on to dental institutions in the form of grants. In fact, in FY17,
47 U.S. dental institutions received grants from NIDCR. These grants allowed
for research that would directly impact the nation’s oral and craniofacial
health. NIDCR-supported research involves taking a broad array of approaches to
public health research, population-health studies, clinical trials, and community-based
studies. ADEA fights for NIDCR funding every fiscal year and will continue to
do so to ensure a healthy pipeline of oral health researchers and faculty.