Research

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics is a global leader in oral science and dental and craniofacial research.

A $61 million renovation of the Dental Science Building—completed in 2016—modernized dental clinics and enhanced research facilities at the college. In 2017, the college also began sustained investments in research infrastructure to make full use of its facilities, including multiple grant support specialists, a director of science writing and editing, and the Division of Biostatistics and Computational Biology. These renovations, and investments in infrastructure, along with a focus on recruiting, hiring, and supporting new researchers has resulted in a record number of external grant funds, largely from the National Institutes of Health, and a record number of grant applications.

Top 12 in NIDCR Research Funding

In FY2023, the University of Iowa was ranked 12th among all dental schools for the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) funding with just over $4.6M.

Research Faculty

Faculty who are affiliated with the Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research make a difference in basic science, translational, and clinical research.

Graduate Studies

Programs in eleven dental specialties and in oral science.

Iowa Section of the AADOCR

Promoting oral, dental, and craniofacial research.

Dental Student Research

Bringing research and education together.

Seed Grant Program

For early-career researchers or new projects

CRISP Pilot Grants

For clinical or dental education research

Research Support

Biostatistical Support

Research News

Pilot study investigating intra-oral scanners for post and crown placement receives clinical research grant

Thursday, February 23, 2023

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.

Dental student researcher studies craniofacial biology at Iowa

Thursday, February 23, 2023

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.

Emily Lanzel conducting oral cancer research

Iowa’s Groundbreaking Oral Cancer Program

Thursday, February 16, 2023

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.

Dental faculty named AAAS Fellow

Friday, February 3, 2023

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.

The College of Dentistry Announces 2023 Seed Grant Awards

Thursday, January 26, 2023

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.

Iowa Dental Faculty awarded major National Institutes of Health R01 grant

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

The National Institutes of Health awarded Shaoping Zhang, assistant professor of periodontics, and his team a 5-year, $1.95 million R01 grant to assess and understand the role of type I interferon (IFN-I) in periodontal disease. This major research project is part of Iowa Dentistry’s efforts to advance research and discovery—producing novel translational research that can treat those who suffer from periodontitis.

Iowa periodontics faculty at the AAP Annual Meeting in 2022

Iowa represents at the 2022 American Academy of Periodontology

Thursday, November 10, 2022

The 2022 American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) held its 108th Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona from October 27 to October 30. The University of Iowa Department of Periodontics had excellent participation with numerous invited speakers and recognitions.

Periodontics faculty awarded Young Researcher Grant

Thursday, October 13, 2022

The Osteology Foundation awarded I-Ching Wang, associate professor of periodontics, an almost $30K Young Researcher Grant for her project, Ultrasound-based Imaging to Detect Early Changes of Hard and Soft tissue Around Immediately Placed Implants With or Without Soft Tissue Augmentation.

Iowa dental researcher receives supplemental NIH award

Thursday, September 15, 2022

Building on his February 2020 NIH grant, Azeez Butali, professor in the Department of Oral Pathology, Radiology, and Medicine, was awarded a $133,526 supplemental award to identify the mental health challenges among African mothers and their children affected by orofacial clefts.

Dentistry faculty receives Nakao Foundation grant to compare restoration outcomes for older adults

Thursday, September 8, 2022

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.

Research Events

Hardin Open Workshops: Conducting a Health Sciences Literature Review (In-Person and Zoom)

Tuesday, August 13, 2024 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Hardin Library for Health Sciences

The session will offer a framework for conducting a quality health sciences literature review for scholarly projects or publication. Learn tips about how to identify sources, use appropriate search techniques, organize results, and synthesize the body of literature to successfully prepare a review. Key differences in search methodology for reviews in the health sciences will be described, with examples provided. Although introductory material regarding systematic and scoping reviews will be...

Hardin Open Workshops - EndNote Desktop (Zoom)

Thursday, August 22, 2024 10:00am to 11:00am

Virtual

EndNote is a reference management tool that helps you to easily gather together your references in one place, organize them, and then insert them into papers and format them in a style of your choosing. This session will walk you through the basics of using EndNote to collect and format your citations. The class will be hands-on, and there will be time for questions at the end.

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Biostatistics and Computational Biology

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry Division of Biostatistics and Computational Biology provides state-of-the-art and cost-effective biostatistics and bioinformatics support for all the research projects conducted at the college

Bioengineering, Tissue Engineering, Stem Cells, Biomaterials and Materials Research

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry is a worldwide leader in the use of bio- and tissue-engineering of stem cells, biomaterials, and other materials to produce new and exciting therapies.

Clinical, Translational, and Big Data Research

Dental researchers at the college have a strong history of pursuing clinical and translational research in a collaborative and supportive environment with the goal of improving patient care. These efforts are now being augmented by big data resources.

Craniofacial, Oral Biology, Genetics, and Dental Development

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry is a worldwide leader in the genetics of craniofacial and dental development with the aim of identifying genetic and environmental causes of craniofacial and dental anomalies.

Immunology, Inflammation, Microbiology, Caries, and Microbiome Research

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry is a worldwide leader in studies of microbiology and the microbiome and their effects on caries progression, periodontal disease and on oral cancer.

Oral Cancer

With expertise in several related fields, the University of Iowa College of Dentistry is becoming a worldwide leader in oral cancer research. These research efforts can improve early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of oral cancer and significantly improve survival rates and reduce morbidity.

Oral Health Policy Research

Oral health is a vital component of our physical, social, and emotional well-being. Evidence increasingly links dental disease with poor health outcomes, including preterm birth and low birth weight, as well as heart disease. Since the 1990s, Iowa's oral health policy researchers have investigated a broad range of dental topics, focusing on conducting research that informs oral health policy at local, state, and national levels.

Public Health, Epidemiology, and Behavior Science

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry is a worldwide and national leader in dental public health with specific attention on support for underserved populations and environmental influences on oral health.