Office of Research Training, Infrastructure, and Curriculum Development Programs
Objective: The primary goal of this initiative is to promote partnerships between a minority dental institution that may not have a strong research program and a research-intensive institution that has a track record of NIH-supported research and patient care. The purpose of the partnership is to: a) promote interdisciplinary scientific investigation of factors that contribute to disparities in oral health; and b) accelerate development and evaluation of strategies to promote effective oral health practices in minority and economically disadvantaged populations. In addition, it is expected that the minority dental institution will strengthen its research infrastructure and support training and career development opportunities for minority faculty.
The research-intensive institution will provide guidance and mentoring to the minority dental institution on research and training and career development of faculty.
For this initiative, NIDCR has defined minority dental institutions as Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Institutions, particularly those institutions that received less than $1 million from NIDCR in FY 2003. Research-intensive institutions are defined as receiving funding from NIH/NIDCR for research and training grants.
Background: As described in the “Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General” (NIH Pub No. 00-4713) oral, dental and craniofacial diseases and disorders are among the most common health problems affecting the people of the U.S. Diseases and disorders affecting the mouth and its surrounding tissues go beyond dental caries and periodontal diseases. They include birth defects such as cleft lip and palate, oral soft tissue lesions, chronic oral-facial pain conditions, oral and pharyngeal cancers, dentofacial injuries, and many other diseases and disorders. Oral manifestations of systemic diseases (i.e., Sjogren’s syndrome, diabetes and HIV infection) and side effects from drugs and/or treatment add to the burden of oral illness.
Many of these craniofacial, oral and dental diseases and disorders have a disproportionately higher burden on particular population subgroups, and addressing disparities in oral health among diverse populations of the United States continues to be a major focus of the research supported by NIDCR as outlined in the Institute’s document “A Plan to Eliminate Craniofacial, Oral and Dental Health Disparities.” This plan is available on the NIDCR homepage at: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/54B65018-D3FE-4459-86DD-AAA0AD51C82B/0/hdplan.pdf 
(842K) The plan emphasizes that eliminating oral health disparities requires more than an understanding of the biology and lifestyle of an individual; it also must take into account the political, social and cultural environment where an individual lives. The need to understand the unique social and cultural context of particular population groups that exhibit health disparities in the U.S. points to a pivotal role that minority dental schools play in improving the oral health of these populations. Dental schools at minority institutions represent a rich source of talent with appropriate cultural sensitivity and perspectives needed in basic, clinical, epidemiological, and behavioral research. These schools conduct high quality programs for educating minorities to pursue clinical practices, however, they have had difficulties in developing and sustaining independent programs in biomedical, clinical and behavioral research. The limited involvement of minority dental schools in oral health research and the lack of a significant number of minority scientists trained in this area must be addressed if we are to develop a stronger national oral health research effort aimed at understanding the disparities caused by oral diseases and conditions. The prospect of establishing an oral health research program in a minority dental school that is collaborating with a research-intensive academic center would take maximum advantage of their respective expertise and experience.
Current Portfolio Overview: NIDCR is currently funding 23 awards targeted at reducing oral health disparities. The 23 awards represent the following:
1 – K22 Scholar Development and Faculty Transition Award
6 – R01 Individual Research Project Grants
1 – R13 Research Conference Grant
8 – R21 Exploratory/Development Awards
1 – R43 Small Business Innovative Research Grant – Phase I
4 – U54 Specialized Centers
2 – U 24 Resource-Related Research Projects (Research Infrastructure)
Population groups studied in the above awards are children, adolescents, adults, and individuals with disabilities. Research topics include social inequalities in periodontal diseases, pain, diabetes, Down’s Syndrome, pre-term birth, and cancer.
The current initiative is similar in many ways to the Centers for Research on Health Disparities and the Research Infrastructure and Capacity Building for Minority Dental Institutions to Reduce Oral Health Disparities grants; however, there are several essential differences. They are as follows:
a) This initiative will be available to minority dental institutions who are in the initial stages of developing a partnership for purposes of collaborating on research and will assist them in strengthening their institutional infrastructure and train faculty to conduct basic, clinical and behavioral research targeted at reducing oral health disparities. Potential applicants will be required to contact NIDCR staff prior to submission of an application to discuss any perceived ambiguities of the initiative and help applicants to present their strongest case for support.
b) The initiative is also available to those institutions that have successfully completed Phase I and II of the RFA Research Infrastructure and Capacity Building for Minority Dental Institutions to Reduce Oral Health Disparities. These institutions must provide information on significant accomplishments from funding of the Research Infrastructure and Capacity Building award.
c) Applications will be accepted from minority dental institutions and research intensive institutions that have entered into bilateral agreements and establish themselves as Partners for Reducing Oral Health Disparities.
d) Separate applications will be submitted by each partner; however, the applications must contain a common research plan that includes specific aims for training. The goal of the initiative is to encourage reciprocal training between the minority dental institution and the research intensive institution to enhance oral health research capabilities and enrich the cultural sensitivity of projects and interventions at both institutions.
Collaborative Activities: It is anticipated that the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities will have an interest in supporting this initiative.
Funding Mechanisms: The proposed Program Announcement will utilize the U01 mechanism. The U01 is a cooperative agreement, an assistance mechanism (rather than an acquisition mechanism) in which substantial NIH scientific and/or programmatic involvement with the awardees is anticipated during performance of the activity. NIDCR staff will have substantial scientific-programmatic involvement during conduct of this activity. Staff will work closely with the minority dental institutions in facilitating collaborations with other NIDCR-funded research scientists and provide advice and guidance on recommended research opportunities and needs that are relevant to the mission of the Institute’s health disparities research plan.
Minority dental institutions that have received less than $1 million from the NIDCR in FY 2003 are eligible to submit an application