NIDCR funding to U.S. dental schools on the decline

Jan 10, 2011

Adding to the national debate on the state of dental research in U.S. dental schools, a new study in the Journal of Dental Research (December 29, 2010) found that the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) has played a diminishing role in funding research at U.S. dental schools between 2005 and 2009.

Utilizing the online NIH RePORT, authors J.A. Lipton and D.F. Kinane obtained comprehensive award data for U.S. dental schools from 2005 to 2009. Fifty dental schools were awarded a total of $974.4 million, 69.3% from NIDCR and 30.7% from 21 other National Institutes of Health (NIH) institutes and centers.

Total NIH funding to dental schools from the NIDCR decreased from 73.6% ($147.2 million) in 2005 to 64.9% ($131.9 million) in 2009, a 10% decrease, while dollars from NIH institutes and centers other than NIDCR increased 34.6% between 2005 and 2009. Grants to U.S. dental institutions comprised 50% or less of total NIDCR awards globally from 2005 through 2009.

In an accompanying perspective article, Peter Polverini, DDS, DMSc, a professor and dean of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, stated, "If we continue to turn a blind eye to this disturbing trend and dental schools fail to provide faculty with the resources needed to gain a competitive advantage, we run the risk of losing our identity as a profession. Dental schools and their parent universities must make research and discovery a core value of their mission."

"We must strengthen the research infrastructure of our nation's dental schools so that the best dental and craniofacial science, particularly translational science, is naturally based in dental institutions," said David Wong, DMD, DMSc, president of the American Association for Dental Research -- which publishes the journal -- in a press release.