Drawing from resources and opportunities at Iowa and the National Institutes of Health, Aline Petrin is conducting novel research involving twins that could shed light on the causes of orofacial clefting.

The Office of the Vice President for Research awarded Anvita Maharishi, assistant professor of Family Dentistry, a 2023 Early Career Scholars grant for her project, “Strength and Translucency of Lithium Disilicate Glass-Based Ceramic CAD/CAM Blocks.” These competitive $30,000 awards are intended to help tenure-track assistant professors develop competitive proposals that can secure awards with external funding. As part of the award, the OVPR supplies grant consultation and support, and substantive written critiques to help recipients improve their projects. In the study, Maharishi will investigate the effect of various fabrication methods, product formulations, and processing techniques used to manufacture high-strength silica-based ceramics frequently used in dental restorations such as crowns and bridges. Several companies produce the ceramics with similar formulas and altered processing techniques that differ from the original patented gold standard silica-based ceramic. The properties of these products are not well-documented and could lead to a wide variety of clinical outcomes, depending on the manufacturer. Maharishi aims to provide initial guidelines for use of these ceramics in direct patient care. This is one of two awards this year, and the second year in a row that Iowa Dentistry has received an award.

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) awarded Robert Bowers, assistant professor of Family Dentistry, a 2023 Early Career Scholars grant for his project, “A Novel Use of the Periodontal Ligament Injection for Delivery of Extended-Release Periodontal Therapeutics.” These competitive $30,000 awards are intended to help tenure-track assistant professors develop competitive proposals that can secure awards with external funding. As part of the award, the OVPR supplies grant consultation and support, and substantive written critiques to help recipients improve their projects. In the study, Bowers will investigate injections of extended-release therapeutics in the periodontal ligament. Dental practitioners currently use periodontal ligament injection to deliver local anesthesia safely and predictably to the gums and bone surrounding teeth. Bowers hopes to model how modified solutions would flow after injections, aiding in the development of a novel, non-invasive method to deliver regenerative, pain-relieving, or antimicrobial therapeutics. This is the second year in a row that Iowa Dentistry has received an award.

The college’s Clinical/Dental Education Research Initiative Support Program (CRISP) selected Aaron Cho and An Yi Ma’s pilot study investigating the use of intra-oral scanners for use in measuring posts for crown places. This study lays the foundation for further studies to clarify and define the efficacy and limitations of intra-oral scanner use in creating post space impressions.

Third-year dental student Mary Young has made the most of her research opportunities at Iowa to make a difference in understanding the genetics of orofacial clefting for African and other populations. Already with several major awards and fellowships, the future is bright for Young.

The 70th Annual Iowa Section of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research was held on Tuesday, February 14. These awards represent the exciting research that students, staff, and visitors are conducting and presenting.

Over the course of four years, the University of Iowa has been establishing an innovative oral cavity cancer program drawing from faculty researchers and clinicians across campus. The holistic approach of the team encompasses the entire spectrum of oral cavity cancer research and is guided by their goal of improving patient outcomes. As a result, Iowa is poised to be a global leader in oral cavity cancer research.

Azeez Butali was one of two Iowa faculty named a 2022 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The AAAS is the world’s largest general-scientific society and publisher of the journal, Science. Butali is a professor of oral pathology, radiology, and medicine, and world’s foremost expert in the genetics of cleft lip and palate among African populations.

William Synan was recognized with the 2019 Daniel M. Laskin Award for Outstanding Predoctoral Educator in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) annual meeting in Boston.

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry is pleased to announce the 2023 Seed Grant Awards. This is the third year of the seed grant program, and these grants fund innovative projects from early-career investigators or established investigators who are developing a new line of research.