NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award

May 2021

Research Training and Career Development Branch
Division of Extramural Activities

Goal

The goal of this initiative is to support transition of the most promising dual degree DDS/DMD, PhD dentist scientists from postdoctoral scholar to independent faculty researcher. Dentist scientists possess unique clinical knowledge that can enhance dental, oral, and craniofacial heath research. Following completion of integrated dental and PhD training, many dentists leave the research workforce to engage in dental clinical specialty training followed by private practice. A high priority for NIDCR are programs to support mentored postdoctoral research training for dentist scientists and facilitate achievement of independent research intensive faculty positions. It is also important for clinician scientist development to provide opportunity for continued engagement with clinical practice and as appropriate, clinical specialty training. NIDCR seeks to continue its investment in the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) to support dentist scientists over the transition from postdoctoral scholar to junior faculty. It is anticipated that the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award will promote research independence for early career dentist scientists.

Background

NIDCR invests in dual degree dentist scientist training through programs to support integrated predoctoral dental (DDS/DMD) and PhD dual degree training. Dual degree dentist scientists are important members of the dental, oral, and craniofacial research workforce, with both clinical and research skills that can benefit research to improve dental, oral and craniofacial health. Following completion of dual degree training, dentist scientists are often challenged to balance dental clinical specialty training with mentored postdoctoral research training and research career progression. Many dental school departments are organized by dental clinical specialty, making a dental clinical specialty an important qualification for an academic research faculty position at a dental school. Residency training is a critical career juncture, during which physician scientists leave the research workforce (Physician Scientist Workforce Report, 2014). This is also the case for individuals receiving NIDCR support for integrated dental and PhD training. Between 2000 and 2020, 150 individuals received NIDCR support to achieve dual dental and PhD degrees. Following graduation, 62 of these individuals left the research workforce to engage in private practice, and 31 (50%) are dental specialists.

The NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award is modeled after the two-phased NIH Pathway to Independence Award Program (K99/R00) and is customized for the dentist scientist research career trajectory. The first award phase (K99) supports the final two years of postdoctoral research training for individuals with both clinical dental (DDS/DMD) and research doctoral (PhD) degrees and less than four years of postdoctoral research experience since the most recent doctoral degree. Upon achievement of a tenure track research faculty position, an awardee may progress to the second award phase (R00), which provides 3 or 5 years of independent research support. The option for 5 years of R00 support is a unique program feature that is designed to encourage an initial focus on postdoctoral research training (K99 phase), rather than dental clinical specialty training. To receive the 5 year R00 project period, a K99/R00 applicant must identify a clinical dental specialty, recognized by the ADA National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Board, and explain why the specialty training will enhance an independent academic research career. A 5 year R00 phase will be awarded, if the candidate receives a tenure track research faculty position at a school that will accommodate a concurrent dental specialty training at no more than 25% effort per year.

The NIDCR Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award emphasizes mentored postdoctoral research to enhance longer term research career success. Awardees are required to spend 2 full years in postdoctoral research for comprehensive research career development prior to R00 transition. Early transitions to the independent phase are permitted only if the awardee has more than 2 years of prior postdoctoral research experience. In addition, the award incentivizes an initial focus on postdoctoral research by offering opportunity for customized part time dental clinical specialty training during the second phase of the award (R00). This optional feature is not required to receive the R00 award. If a K99/R00 awardee selects the 5 year R00 phase option but ultimately chooses not to engage in dental specialty training, the awardee remains eligible to receive a 3 year R00 award.

In 2009, NIDCR issued the first NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) funding opportunity announcement to enhance postdoctoral research training and progression to research independence for dual degree dentist scientists. This program complements the NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00) program, in which NIDCR has participated since its inception in 2007. Early outcomes from that program showed that dual degree dentist scientists were not successfully competing for the NIH Pathway to Independence Awards at the same rates as other applicants. Between 2007 and 2009, dentist scientists comprised approximately 33% of the NIDCR K99/R00 applicant pool; however, only 2 of the first 12 R00 awards (17%) were achieved by dentist scientists.

Between 2010 and 2020, 46 dual degree dentist scientists submitted applications to the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award Program. Fourteen applicants (30%) requested a 5 year R00 phase to accommodate dental clinical specialty training. During this time, 15 dual degree dentist scientists (33% of total applicants) received K99/R00 awards. Five of the 15 dual degree dentist scientist K99 awardees (33%) received a 5 year R00 award. These individuals designated training in orthodontics, periodontics, oral and maxillofacial pathology and prosthodontics for the independent phase.

NIDCR Dentist Scientist R00 Project Periods FY 2010 to FY 2020

Currently, 13 of the 15 Dual Degree Dentist Scientist K99/R00 awardees (87%) achieved independent tenure track faculty positions to transition to the R00 phase award. Two awardees are engaged in K99 phase mentored postdoctoral training. Three R00 awardees achieved tenure track faculty positions that included the opportunity to engage in part-time dental clinical specialty training in the specialties of orthodontics and periodontics. All 3 individuals successfully completed these part time dental clinical specialty training programs. One R00 awardee had initially requested a 5 year R00 phase but opted for a 3 year R00 phase that did not include dental specialty training. Ten of the 13 dentist scientist R00 awardees (77%) have achieved subsequent NIH research project grant funding, with7 individuals (47%) receiving NIH R01 awards.

As a comparison, between 2010 and 2020, 140 individuals applied to the NIH Pathway to Independence Award (parent K99/R00) program through NIDCR. One hundred twenty eight (91%) individual applicants held PhD degrees, 2 (1%) held DDS or equivalent dental degrees and 7 applicants (5%) were dual degree dentist-PhD scientists. Sixty two individuals were selected for funding. Of these individual NIH K99 awardees, 59 (95%) were PhD degree scientists. Only 1 dentist and 1 dentist-PhD scientist achieved NIH K99 awards through NIDCR between 2010 and 2020. To date, 44 NIH K99 awardees (71%) have transitioned to faculty positions to the R00 phase. Twelve individuals (19%) are in the mentored postdoctoral phase of the award. Six individuals (10%) did not transition to the R00 phase, although 2 did not transition due to accepting independent research investigator positions at NIH Intramural Research Laboratories that are not eligible for NIH extramural support. In terms of subsequent grants, 19 (43%) NIH R00 awardees have achieved NIH research project grant funding with 11 (25%) achieving their first NIH R01 awards. These data indicate that the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist K99/R00 program is attractive to dentist scientist applicants and expands the numbers of dual degree dentist scientist applicants and awardees. In addition, although the small numbers do not allow definitive comparisons, it appears that NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist K99/R00 awardees achieve research career outcomes comparable to NIH K99/R00 awardees.

NIH and NIDCR K99/R00 Awardee Outcomes FY 2010 to FY 2020

Gaps and Opportunities

NIDCR supports a continuum of dentist scientist research training from predoctoral dual degree students to junior faculty. The NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award Program is the only customized program for dentist scientists at extramural institutions that supports the transition from postdoctoral scholar to independent faculty researcher. While all NIDCR career development (K) and pathway to independence (K99) award programs allow clinical activities and clinical training to occur outside award support at no more than 25% effort, the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award Program is the only program that incentivizes hiring institutions to provide customized dental clinical specialty training through the option for an additional two years of R00 phase support. Approximately 30% of NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award applicants requested a 5 year R00 phase, indicating dental specialty training during the R00 continues to be of interest to members of the dual degree dentist scientist research community. Dentist scientist training is not standardized across institutions, and there are many points at which dual degree dentist scientists can enter a research career. Maintaining a range of options to support research training is an important strategy for developing a strong dentist scientist research workforce.

Specific Areas of Interest

NIDCR is interested in supporting dual degree dentist scientists with less than 4 years of research since their most recent doctoral degree who are conducting research in all areas of the NIDCR scientific focus. United States (US) citizens, non-citizen nationals, and permanent residents of the US and individuals conducting postdoctoral research in the US on temporary visas will be eligible for this program. NIDCR strongly encourages participation from individuals from groups underrepresented in biomedical research. NIDCR will also continue to optional program feature of an R00 extension for part time dental clinical specialty training.

References

• Advisory Committee to the Director, Physician Scientist Workforce Report, 2014
• NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00-Clinical Trial Required)
• NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
• Specialty Definitions, ADA National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards