Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

 
NIH National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) Home page
  • Health Info
  • Research
  • Grants & Funding
  • Careers & Training
  • News & Events
  • About Us
  • Health Info
    • Publications
    • Clinical Trials
    • Data & Statistics
    • Finding Dental Care
  • Research
    • Research Conducted at NIDCR (Intramural)
    • Research Funded by NIDCR (Extramural)
    • Human Subjects Research
    • Clinical Trials
    • Data & Statistics
    • Scientific Data Sharing
    • Research Priorities
    • Research Investments & Advances
    • Oral Health in America Report
    • COVID-19
  • Grants & Funding
    • Notices of Funding Opportunities
    • Grant Programs and Contacts
    • Funding Priorities
    • Funded Research
    • Human Subjects Research
    • Scientific Data Sharing
  • Careers & Training
    • Research Training at NIDCR (Intramural Opportunities)
    • Funding for Research Training (Extramural Opportunities)
    • Job Openings
    • Loan Repayment
    • Staff Contacts
  • News & Events
    • NIDCR News
    • Newsletter
    • Grantee News
    • Events
    • Images
    • For Reporters
  • About Us
    • Leadership & Staff
    • Advisory Committees
    • Strategic Plan
    • Oral Health in America Report
    • Congressional & Budget
    • Job Openings
    • Getting to NIDCR
    • Contact Us
    • Mission

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. About Us
  3. Leadership & Staff
  4. Organizational Chart
  5. Division of Extramural Research
About Us
  • Leadership & Staff
    • Director
    • Organizational Chart
  • Advisory Committees
    • National Advisory Dental & Craniofacial Research Council
    • Board of Scientific Counselors (Division of Intramural Research)
    • Special Emphasis Panel
    • Special Grants Review Committee
  • Strategic Plan
  • Oral Health in America Report
  • Congressional & Budget
    • Congressional Justifications
    • Written Responses to Congress
  • Job Openings
  • Getting to NIDCR
  • Contact Us
  • Mission

Behavioral & Social Sciences Research Branch

The NIDCR Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Branch (BSSRB) supports analytical, fundamental, interventional, and translational behavioral and social sciences research consistent with the NIDCR mission to advance knowledge in dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) health and to translate these findings into more comprehensive prevention, early detection, treatment, and condition-management strategies that improve overall health and well-being for individuals, groups, and communities across the lifespan.

Health-related issues within the NIDCR mission include, but are not limited to, care delivery to those with birth defects, craniofacial abnormalities, dental caries, interprofessional care, oral hygiene promotion, oral speech pathologies and rehabilitation, pain management, periodontal diseases, social and behavioral genomics, Sjögren’s disease, and temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMDs). Additional chronic conditions that can influence oral, dental, and craniofacial health include arthritis, cancer, dementias, diabetes, inflammation, kidney disease, obesity, and xerostomia (dry mouth). Decades of NIDCR-funded research have revealed the interconnectedness of the mouth and body, with unique opportunities for behavioral and social sciences research projects to bring new insights into the interconnectedness of various systems in the body, as well as better treatments for both oral and systemic diseases.

BSSRB staff serve as program directors and project scientists to research projects in these areas. NIDCR’s collaborative structure facilitates program directors to share expertise across branches and portfolios in the Division of Extramural Research.

  • Analytic and Translational Research in Behavioral, Social, and Public Health Program
  • Assessment, Technology, and Treatment Outcomes Research Program
  • Basic Research in Behavioral, Social, and Biopsychosocial Processes Program

Useful Resources

  • NIDCR Grants Process Resources
  • NIDCR Extramural Research Grant Programs
  • NIDCR Extramural Research Training and Career Development Program
  • NIDCR Clinical Researcher Toolkit and Educational Materials
  • NIDCR News
  • NIH All About Grants Podcast Series
  • NIH Central Resource for Grants and Funding Information: How to Apply ‒ Application Guide
  • NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts

Contact

William Elwood, Ph.D.
William (Bill) Elwood, Ph.D.
Chief
Behavioral & Social Sciences Research Branch
Director
Basic Research in Behavioral, Social, & Biopsychosocial Processes Program
(301) 402-1146
william.elwood@nih.gov
NIH
  • Home
  • Web Policies
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • No Fear Act
  • Office of Inspector General
  • HHS Vulnerability Disclosure
  • Employee Intranet - Staff Only
Back to top