Mission
The NIH Dental Clinic and Consult Service provides clinical expertise in managing and characterizing diseases of the dental, oral, and craniofacial complex.
The board-certified specialists in NIDCR’s Dental Consult Service provide oral evaluations and care to patients enrolled in protocols at the NIH Clinical Center. The specialists manage not only dental emergencies for Clinical Center study participants but also screen for dental, oral health, and craniofacial problems. The Dental Consult Service interacts closely with primary care givers and members of the medical and research team. They collaborate with clinical investigators and support the research mission of the NIDCR.
Clinicians in the Dental Clinic have the following expertise:
- Hospital dentistry
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery
- Oral medicine
- Pediatric dentistry
- Periodontics
- Rheumatology
Most patients (about 85 percent) are referred to the Dental Clinic from other institutes, such as the National Cancer Institute; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. For example, an investigator or research nurse may refer a patient for an examination for infection or other oral health problems and receive a comprehensive evaluation as well as a dental hygiene appointment.