The Nakao Foundation awarded Akimasa Tsujimoto a 90K+ grant to compare outcomes of four restorative materials—glass hybrid, conventional glass ionomer cement, resin-modified glass ionomer cement, and resin-based composition restorations—among adults age 65 or older. In particular, the researchers are evaluating whether glass ionomer-based restorations may have superior clinical outcomes for this population than resin-based composite restorations.

The college’s Clinical/Dental Education Research Initiative Support Program (CRISP) selected Hong Chen and John Warren’s pilot study investigating temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and overall health among college students. This study lays the foundation for a further National Institutes of Health exploratory research grant with the long-term aim of improving prevention and early detection of TMD.

The National Institutes of Health awarded Steven Levy and his research team a $325K grant to identify factors that are associated with improved oral health-related quality of life through early adulthood among those who participated in the Iowa Fluoride Study. This is the first study that will make predictions about oral-health related quality of life based on longitudinal data.

At the All-College Meeting on August 15, Kyungsup Shin was presented with the James H. and Hermine E. McLeran Faculty Award. This award recognizes a faculty member who has shown a commitment to dental education through excellence in teaching and an emphasis on patient-centered care. Kyungsup personifies these attributes as he guides his students to achieve their highest potential in the classroom, clinic, and laboratory.

The Japanese company, GC Corporation, awarded Akimasa Tsujimoto a grant to investigate evaluate the fatigue bond strength to enamel and dentin of their new 2-step universal adhesive comparing it to other representative adhesives. This project shows the value of industry-academic partnerships to meet industry needs and improve clinical practices.

The National Institutes of Health recently announced a $3.2M R01 grant awarded to Dr. Kyungsup Shin and his research team to develop a new approach to reconstruction of orofacial clefts using personalized biomimetic scaffolds. This project is one component of a larger project developing more effective treatments for children born with cleft lip and palate.

The college’s Clinical/Dental Education Research Initiative Support Program (CRISP) supported John Syrbu’s project on the impact of digital photography on laboratory-fabricated dental restorations to support the college’s clinical research mission. This project will be the first quantitative measure of the influence of digital photography in shade matching and lays the foundation for establishing clinical guidelines for practice.

The Japanese company, Kuraray, awarded Akimasa Tsujimoto a grant to investigate whether their newly developed light-cure resin luting cement will effectively reduce wear and prevent gap formations between ceramic veneers and teeth. This project shows the value of industry-academic partnerships to meet industry needs and improve clinical practices.

Advances in dental care occur because of a strong clinical research program. The college’s Clinical/Dental Education Research Initiative Support Program (CRISP) supported a project currently led by Rohit Nair on the factors that are clinically associated with dry mouth (xerostomia) among older adults. The goal is, ultimately, to improve dental care for older adult patients suffering from dry mouth.

On July 13, middle school students visited the University of Iowa College of Dentistry as part of the St. Ambrose 2022 Health Careers Adventure Camp. Campers experienced hands-on learning sessions provided by faculty, students and clinicians while learning about dental careers.