Board of Directors

President
R. Bruce Donoff, DMD, MD
Dean & Professor of Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgery,
Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Vice President
Mary Kaye Richter
Executive Director,
National Foundation for
Ectodermal Dysplasias

Treasurer
Katherine Hammitt, MA
Sjogrens Syndrome Foundation

Secretary
Daniel Perkins
President,
AEGIS Communications, LLC

Directors
Cecile Feldman, DMD, MBA
Dean,
University of Medicine & Dentistry of
New Jersey

Marjorie K. Jeffcoat, DMD
Amsterdam Dean,
Professor of Peridontics
Robert Schattner Center,
School of Dental Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania

Dushanka Kleinman, DDS, MScD
Professor and Associate Dean for
Research & Academic Affairs
School of Public Health
University of Maryland

Roger P. Levin, DDS
Chairman & CEO,
Levin Group, Inc.

Linda C. Niessen, DMD, MPH, MPP
Vice President, Clinical Education
DENTSPLY International

Gary W. Price
Chief Executive Officer
Dental Trade Alliance

Christian S. Stohler, DDS
Dean,
University of Maryland Dental School

Sarah A. Tevis, DDS
Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry

Past President
C. Yolanda Bonta, DMD, MS
HealthKnowledge LLC, Consulting

President Emeritus
D. Walter Cohen, DDS
Chancellor Emeritus
Drexel University College of Medicine

Executive Director
Peter Anas

Contact Us

Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
National Office
1901 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 607
Washington DC, 20006
Phone: 202.223.0667
Fax: 202.463.1257
Web: www.fnidcr.org

Executive Director
Peter Anas

Legislative Director
Andrew Kaffes

Membership Director
Laikisha Jeffries

The Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (FNIDCR) online newsletter is a membership benefit. Permission is granted to repost this publication only with inclusion of the header. Past issues are posted at http://www.fnidcr.org/newsletters/index.html.

PATIENT ADVOCACY

Oral Health Community Gathers in DC
The oral health community gathered in Washington, April 21 – 23, 2008 for a series of events designed to raise the visibility of oral health issues in the nation’s capital. Patient advocacy groups from FNIDCR joined with leaders from the dental research and academic communities to convey a powerful message about the importance of oral health research to our society. 

Events Highlight NIDCR Research Initiatives
& NIDCR Funding Deficiency 
NIDCR hosted a Patient Advocates Forum at NIH on April 21st. There, NIDCR staff updated Patient Advocacy group representatives on the Institute’s intramural and extramural research initiatives. Advances in Genome-wide Association Studies and Salivary Diagnostics in addition to NIDCR’s commitment to reduce and eventually eliminate oral health disparities via the funding of Oral Health Disparities Centers were discussed. 

An Advocacy Day Workshop hosted by AADR/ADEA provided the audience with a policy briefing and advocacy training in preparation for meetings with legislators on Capitol Hill the next day. Of keen interest to FNIDCR is ensuring that NIDCR receives the proper level of federal funding. 

  • Currently, NIDCR is funded at $389 million, or 1.33 percent of NIH’s total budget.

  • Most alarming is the fact that as NIH’s budget doubled between 1998 and 2003, NIDCR’s budget decreased 13 percent.

  • The recommendation for FY09 is $438 million, or 1.5 percent of NIH’s budget, to fund NIDCR. This level will restore funding that was eroded for the five years between 1998 and 2003. 

Research Provides Ability to Invent the Future
NIDCR Director Dr. Lawrence Tabak discussed the topic “Why Research Matters.” In short, through research, one has the ability to invent the future, he offered.

Key Highlights:

  • NIDCR Funding: 
    • Of the $389 million appropriated to NIDCR for FY07 almost 80% ($308 million) goes toward extramural research;
    • The extramural research dollars emanating from NIDCR is spent in Congressional Districts - mostly at universities

  • Genome-wide Association Studies: NIDCR is supporting the first studies on cleft lip/cleft palate and dental carries. (Click here for Dr. Tabak Q&A)

  • Salivary Diagnostics: The promising prospect of using saliva as a diagnostic fluid to identify an emerging disease is an example of the type of cutting-edge research being conducted by NIDCR.

  • Microbiome Project: To better understand the role that bacteria, fungi, and other microbes play in human health and disease. There are hundreds of different forms of bacteria found in the mouth. (Click here for the news release).


Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID)


Rep. John Linder (R-GA)
Friends of NIDCR & Patient Advocates
Take Message to the Hill
FNIDCR hosted a “Capitol Hill Day Kickoff” that featured remarks from Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Rep. John Linder (R-GA), co-chairs of the Congressional Oral Health Caucus. Rep. Simpson provided insight on the federal budget process for FY09 and prospects for movement of appropriations bills. He is able to draw his expertise from his years of experience on the House Subcommittee for Labor-HHS-Education. (There is hope that the FY09 budget resolution can be reconciled between the Senate and House after Memorial Day recess.) Rep. Linder shared his position on the reauthorization of SCHIP that was debated in the first session of Congress.

FNIDCR patient advocates, some paired with dental researchers or academics, met with Congressional delegations in both chambers of Congress from seven different states. Our members provided background about FNIDCR and its mission, and communicated the significance of making oral health research a priority.

 

News

Did You Receive
Your Invitation?
Come Celebrate the Historic Contributions of
NIDCR Research to Improve Health in America
Many people remember the wonderful 50th Anniversary celebration in 1998 (the year the Friends of NIDCR was born). Now the date is fast approaching for the big birthday party celebrating “60 Years of NIDCR” - June 23, 2008, 6pm-8pm, at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, a few miles from the NIH campus.  

Hear an Interesting 60th Anniversary Keynote
“The Societal Context for Science”
Dr. Alan Leshner
CEO, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Executive Publisher, Science Magazine

Dr. Alan Leshner will point out how we are living both the best of times and the worst of times for science in the United States. As science is advancing very rapidly with all the attendant real and potential benefits, it is also encroaching more and more on issues of core human values, raising tension between science and the rest of society. That tension is negatively affecting both the conduct and potential use of science. To resolve it, we need to better engage with our fellow citizens and rediscover common ground.

Click to Order Your Tickets Now!

Thank you to our major sponsors

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---NYU College of Dentistry---

University of Minnesota School of Dentistry ---

 

Additional 60th Anniversary Events - Sponsored by NIDCR
Monday, June 23, 2008
1pm – 4pm: NIDCR National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council Meeting

Tuesday, June 24, 2008:
8am – 4pm: 60th Anniversary Scientific Symposium sponsored by NIDCR. Click here for details.

NIDCR Needs Your Strategic Input
NIDCR is in the process of formulating its Strategic Plan for the next five years (2009 to 2013). The Institute is welcoming input from its stakeholders until June 20, 2008. Click here to learn more.

NIDCR Supported Research

Get Updated on Current NIDCR News in Brief