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

News

New NIH Director Outlines His Goals
Dr. Francis Collins, the new NIH director outlined his top five priorities for the U.S. research agency during a town hall meeting with NIH staff. Collins emphasized the agency's commitment to:

• High-throughput Technologies
• Translational Research
• Health Care Reform
• Global Health
• Empower[ing] the Biomedical Research Community

He thanked Dr. Larry Tabak “who took on the role of Acting Deputy Director during the last 9 months, and made particularly important contributions to the rapid NIH formulation and implementation of a plan to allocate funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Larry has agreed to continue in this important role, as he returns to a job he never left--the Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.”

Watch the live videocast.

NIDCR Distributes New Strategic Plan
“We need closer integration among research, practice and education to understand and eventually remediate the many disorders affecting the oral and craniofacial complex” says Dr. Larry Tabak in his overview of the newly released NIDCR Strategic Plan 2009-13. Read his message.

The Goals and Objectives presented throughout the Plan strike a careful balance between basic and applied research; address workforce issues; and confront the vexing problem of health disparities.

Click on each goal below to review the details:

Goal I: Bring the best science to bear on problems in oral, dental and craniofacial health.

Goal II: Strengthen the pipeline of researchers dedicated to solving problems in oral, dental and craniofacial health.

Goal III: Identify innovative clinical research avenues to improve oral, dental and craniofacial health.

Goal IV: Apply rigorous, multidisciplinary research approaches to eliminate disparities in oral, dental and craniofacial health.

If you have not received a copy of the plan, please contact Peter Anas, FNIDCR Executive Director at peter@FNIDCR.org or at 202-223-0667.

ALL Local Groups & Schools
Give Support for New Symposium

Make Your Plans Now for Wed., December 9!
The afternoon symposium (starts 12:30 pm) highlights research findings close to clinical application. “For the first time, we are reaching out to clinicians and their teams as a primary audience,“ says Symposium Chair Dushanka Kleinman. “We plan to replicate this type of forum around the nation and extend the visibility of and imperative for new knowledge generated by NIDCR.”

Clinical Research Advancements
& the Effects on Your Dental Practice
featuring
NIDCR-funded Oral Health Research

Upcoming, diagnostic, preventive & therapeutic
approaches and research conducted in dental offices.

You’ll hear researchers present upcoming, diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic approaches and research conducted in dental offices, including:

• Oral Cancer – Early Detection and Prevention
• Pain Research
• Practice Based Research Networks in Dentistry
• Health Disparities in the DC/Maryland Region

Continuing education hours will be provided.

As in past galas, awards will be presented to honor significant accomplishments in oral health, including Education, Media, Advocacy, Lifetime Achievement and Public Service. See past Award Recipients.

More Information

Schedule, Fees, Hotel

Registration Form

Economic Stimulus (ARRA) Update

Search by State & District from Over 7,000 Approved Grants
Search by state and congressional district on the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT). As of 8-31-09 7,031 grants have been awarded.

For more on ARRA funding details visit:

• NIH website
• NIDCR's ARRA website
• Q&A about applying for ARRA funding

Legislative Update

FY10 Federal Appropriations See Summer Action
The House the FY2010 appropriations bill for Labor-HHS-Education, which appropriates funding for NIH and NIDCR. The House’s bill contains:

• $31.3 billion for NIH, which is $500 million above President Barack Obama’s budget request, and $942 million above the amount appropriated in FY09.
  
  
• $417,032,000 for NIDCR FY2010 funding, which is $9 million above the President’s FY2010 budget request, and
  
  
• View the full House report

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the FY2010 Labor-HHS-Education bill ( View Summary Here. Audio Webcast here. ):

• The committee appropriated $30.8 billion to NIH, which is $442 million above the FY09 enacted level.
  
  
• The committee appropriated $409.2 million to NIDCR, which is $7 million more than the FY09 enacted level.

The full Senate will vote on the bill upon its return to Washington in September following August recess. Then, the bills will go to the Conference Committee to resolve differences. While the funding increases are welcomed, they are below FNIDCR's recommended funding levels.

Congressional Oral Health Caucus Continues to Grow
Because of the outreach of the Friends of NIDCR, we have a new addition to the Congressional Oral Health Caucus in Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR). He is the lead sponsor of H.R.2220, the Essential Oral Health Care Act of 2009.We look forward to working with his office and integrating him into the Caucus and our issues. Click here for a complete listing of Caucus members.

Help Us Grow the Oral Health Caucus!
The Congressional Oral Health Caucus has more than doubled in the past year. Is your U.S representative a Caucus member? Help us grow it to even greater numbers in the 111th Congress. Please contact Legislative Director Andrew Kaffes, legislative@fnidcr.org, to learn how you can help!

NIDCR Research

Promising Diagnostic Technique for Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome
Diagnosing primary Sjögren’s Syndrome can be problematic. But a new diagnostic technique might one day bring help. Scientists at NIDCR report that a rapid, automated test now under development called LIPS identified the SSB antibody correctly three out of four times and with perfect accuracy. It also detected a second antibody, SSA, about as well as today's standard assays in the group's initial study of 82 people, 57 of whom had well-characterized primary Sjögren's syndrome. Read the report.

More Science News in Brief
Click below to read each article

• Possible Biomarkers for Root Resorption in People with Braces


• Researchers Shed Light on Photophobia


• Researchers Test Circuits Underlying Salivary Gland Development


• Xylitol Syrup Helps to Prevent Childhood Tooth Decay