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 jaw disorders among college students receives clinical research grant

Thursday, September 8, 2022

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.

NIH awards grant to Iowa dental faculty

Thursday, August 25, 2022

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.

Dentistry faculty receives industry-sponsored grant to evaluate a new 2-step universal adhesive

Thursday, August 18, 2022

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.

NIH R01 grant awarded to orthodontics faculty

Thursday, August 11, 2022

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.

Project evaluating photography in shade matching receives clinical research grant

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

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.

Dentistry faculty receives industry-sponsored grant to improve ceramic veneers outcomes

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

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.

Dry mouth project receives clinical research grant

Thursday, August 4, 2022

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.

Iowa graduate student receives inaugural IADR Smile Train Cleft Research Award

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Azeez Alade, a PhD candidate in genetic epidemiology, specializes in identifying rare genetic factors associated with orofacial clefts in African populations. The IADR and Smile Train awarded Alade $75K to support his dissertation research.

NIH awards Semprini Training Grant for Oral Cancer Project

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Jason Semprini, a T90 trainee in Iowa Institute of Oral Health Research and a Ph.D. student in the College of Public Health, was awarded a F31 grant—a training grant for mentored dissertation research for his project, Evaluating the Impact of Medicaid Dental Coverage on Early-Stage Oral Cancer Detection.

Butali recognized for his efforts as a mentor

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Butali serves as a mentor to numerous other students and researchers, and on May 12, he received a Faculty Award recognizing those efforts. Butali’s students shared their appreciation with the Hawkeye Smile for their mentor.

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.