NIDCR/CDC
Dental, Oral and Craniofacial
Data Resource Center
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About the Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Data Resource Center
The Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Data Resource Center (DRC) supports the missions of the National Institute of Dental
and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and of the Division of Oral Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
These organizations seek to improve and promote dental, oral, and craniofacial health through research, public health
programs, and dissemination of health information. Important to this mission is the ability to understand the magnitude
and impact of diseases and conditions affecting structures of the craniofacial complex, including the face, mouth and teeth.
In its strategic plan entitled Shaping the Future,
NIDCR identified one of its goals as increasing "the capacity to assess and be more responsive to changing health
needs and disease trends." Data and information are needed to support research, program evaluation, and policy efforts
related to this goal. The NIDCR is the prime organization in the nation responsible for biomedical and behavioral
research directed towards improving oral health through research. This includes large-scale and tailored epidemiologic
investigations and research related to the development of diagnostic measures, study designs, analyses, and research into
application of new clinical findings in the field.
The NIDCR also co-leads with the Division of Oral Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the
national Healthy People 2000 and 2010 oral health promotion and disease prevention objectives. Surveillance of health
and program relevant data are required to track progress and to assess the targets set for these objectives.
Additionally, the NIDCR works collaboratively to develop and make available data and information to assist other
Federal programs in meeting their missions relative to oral health, and to be of assistance to the broader extramural
research and professional communities and to voluntary organizations.
To support these data needs, NIDCR recognizes that knowledge of national, state and local data, as well as special population studies, should be broadly disseminated. In addition, selected databases should be identified, acquired and prepared for analysis by NIDCR and CDC researchers and their partners. Unless relevant data and information can be made readily available to users including researchers, policy makers, program evaluators, dental practitioners and the public, the value of the data is diminished. To serve this purpose, NIDCR in collaboration with the CDC, established the Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Data Resource Center.
NIDCR/CDC Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Data Resource Center
2101 Gaither Road, Suite 600
Rockville, MD 20850-4006
Telephone: (301) 527-6670
Fax: (301) 527-6401
Email: oralhealthdrc@ngc.com
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