Oral Health Disparities Research Program
Overview
Despite remarkable improvements in the oral health of Americans, chronic oral diseases and conditions remain among the most common health problems across the lifespan. These conditions can be particularly prevalent and severe for individuals and communities that face economic or other barriers to health care. Given the complexity of oral health disparities research (OHDR), interdisciplinary research teams must collaborate with affected communities and populations for research conceptualization, planning, implementation, and dissemination.
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research OHDR Program supports scientifically rigorous, community-engaged research that helps generate scalable, evidence-based strategies to address oral health disparities in communities to achieve oral health for all. Populations and communities disproportionately affected by the burden of dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral and oropharyngeal cancers are of particular concern. Relevant research topics include, but are not limited to:
- Systems science research to understand the influence of multi-level factors driving oral health disparities across generations and to predict successful population-based intervention models
- Health services research to examine the impact of local, state, and/or federal health policies on oral health and economic outcomes
- Community-focused clinical research to study feasibility, acceptability, and clinical as well as community outcomes of oral health care delivery in non-healthcare settings—such as schools, long-term care facilities, or workplaces—by non-dental providers
- Community-based participatory research to develop, adapt, and test strategies for integrating oral health into chronic disease prevention and/or support services provided by community organizations through meaningful multi-sector partnerships
- Dissemination and implementation research to evaluate novel intervention strategies designed to increase the uptake of evidence-based oral health prevention in communities experiencing oral health disparities
- Small business research to advance innovations in health information technologies and oral health care coordination, collaboration, and communication tools that can be readily incorporated into health care delivery settings and systems
Related Resources
Staff Contact
