CHICAGO--Four dental schools are sharing $100,000 in competitive grants from the American Dental Association Foundation to conduct oral health research.
Entries from the winning schools were in response to a request for proposals in support of evidenced-based dental research. The RFP, issued last fall, was for systematic literature reviews, seeking answers to four questions in three oral health areas: root canal therapy, teeth alignment and professional dental cleanings.
In a joint submission, applicants from Loma Linda (Calif.) University School of Dentistry and University of California at Los Angeles School of Dentistry received funds to compare the clinical, biological, and psychosocial outcomes of treating a single tooth with the following: root canal, tooth extraction, tooth extraction with implant placement, or placement of a fixed partial denture.
Their proposal also called for the investigation of the long term effects of root-canal therapy compared with tooth extraction and implant placement.
Recipients at Boston University's Goldman School of Dental Medicine will use their grant to address how often professional dental cleanings are required to prevent periodontal disease (also called gum disease) in patients at risk and not at risk for developing the disease.
Researchers at the University of Washington's School of Dentistry, Seattle, will use their award to determine if correcting malocclusion (misaligned teeth) in children and adults reduces the risk for developing periodontal disease.
The dental research awards are part of the ADAF's annual RFP program that rotates among key program areas: research, education, and access to care. In 2007, the RFP will focus on access-to-care programs.
