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

Ganesan and Team Receive $75K Carver Trust COVID-19 Pilot Collaborative Award

Friday, June 4, 2021

Dr. Sukirth Ganesan, assistant professor in periodontics, and a team of researchers in the Carver College of Medicine were awarded a Carver Trust COVID-19 Pilot Collaborative Award. The grant, Unraveling the role of saliva in COVID- 19 pathogenesis using a comprehensive multi-omics approach, will involve a multi-arm, cross-sectional, case-control study with an integrated -omics approach to determine the microbial, metabolic, functional, and immune alterations in the saliva of COVID-19 patients.

Bone Regeneration: Making a Fantasy a Reality

Friday, May 14, 2021

Researchers at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry are working to make bone regeneration a reality through novel tissue engineering strategies and cutting-edge science. Hongli Sun is one of several faculty members at the college leading the charge to develop novel bone regeneration strategies for particular conditions and diseases.

Personalizing Implant Therapy to Improve Outcomes

Friday, April 9, 2021

Personalized medicine meets the unique needs of each patient, and Christopher Barwacz’s research is focused on improving and optimizing implant therapy to meet the specific needs of each individual patient.

The Genetics of Bone Formation

Friday, February 19, 2021

As an expert in the genetics of embryonic development and an assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics, Eric Van Otterloo, has opened a new dimension for understanding craniofacial development, genetics, and bone formation as he and his team have explored a peculiar gene, Memo1.

The utility company that serves the University of Iowa

College of Dentistry Awarded $600K+ in P3 Funds to Begin Developing a New Oral Cancer Center of Excellence

Friday, February 5, 2021

On Thursday, the University of Iowa announced that the first $7.5 million of the investment revenue generated from the public-private partnership (P3) for its utility system would include a $600K+ award for the College of Dentistry. With this support, an interdisciplinary team with over 40-people, including Iowa faculty from the Colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Engineering, will develop the preliminary data and program structure to apply for and be competitive for an $11 million grant from the NCI/NIDCR to establish a P50 Specialized Program of Research Excellence in oral cancer. This specialized research program in oral cancer will be the first of its kind in the nation.

NIH Awards Huojun Cao a 2-year Grant for Over $400K

Friday, September 4, 2020

The National Institutes of Health awarded Dr. Huojun Cao, assistant professor in the Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research and the Department of Endodontics, a 2-year grant for his project, “Identification of Master Transcription Factors of Dental Epithelial Stem Cell by Computational Method.”

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.

View more events

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.