Learn About Careers in Dental Research

Dental research seeks to discover important insights into how to achieve optimal health.

Oral diseases are highly prevalent. 90 percent of people in the world are affected by oral disease, including caries (cavities), gum disease, cancers, genetic disorders (including cleft lip and palate), and autoimmune diseases.

Major focus areas of dental research include:

  • Risks and causes of oral health problems
  • Ways to correct oral health problems
  • Wider impacts of oral health problems

“Dental research focused on understanding how best to prevent oral disease and on understanding the relationship between oral disease and systemic disorders will lead to significant improvement.”

— Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque
Deputy Director, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

NIH Pathways from School to Dental Research

Dental research involves a huge range of fields of scientific disciplines, including genetics, oncology, developmental biology, engineering, neuroscience, microbiology, immunology, biochemistry, physiology, public health, data science/computational biology, clinical research, and health disparities.

A focus on biology, chemistry and mathematics in high school and college will provide a good foundation for a dental degree.

NIH offers training opportunities in dental research from college and beyond at colleges and universities across the U.S., in low- and middle-income countries, and elsewhere.

Read about summer internships, academic internships, and post-baccalaureate opportunities funded by NIH.

Dental Research Careers and Opportunities at NIDCR

As the leading NIH institute for dental research, NIDCR provides career and training opportunities as well as employment for dental researchers.

Career Spotlights: Meet Our Dental Researchers

Dental researchers come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, and study a wide variety of subjects. To showcase the opportunities within our field of research, we are showcasing standout NIDCR researchers, their fields of study, and the impact their research may have.

Dr. Fontana is a Clifford Nelson Endowed Professor and Professor of Dentistry. She is also the Director of the Global Initiatives Program in Oral and Craniofacial Health within the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences & Endodontics at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

As a cariologist, Dr. Fontana researches tooth decay. Currently, she is conducting clinical studies to investigate caries risk in young children.

“We have developed caries risk tools for early childhood and are now focusing on the school age years into early adolescence.

“We are conducting in vitro studies of biofilms. Chemical and biofilms caries models are important to understand how biofilms react with tooth surfaces and how cavities develop in response to different conditions.

“A career in cariology relies on many years of study, but it is very rewarding. I have been able to collaborate with wonderful communities of people in different parts of the world, all committed to improving the health of children worldwide.”

Dr. Lee is the Clinical Director of the Craniofacial Anomalies and Regeneration Section at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Dr. Lee is a surgeon-scientist. She leads the Lee lab, focusing on craniofacial research.

“Currently, my lab is studying skeletal malocclusions (severe underbite and overbites) to understand the genetics and shape changes, so we can predict who will develop the condition.

“Using 3D computational analysis, we examine craniofacial development and compare the differences in healthy groups and individuals with specific diseases.

“My research enables me to understand the condition in more detail, informs earlier diagnosis and predicts craniofacial development. To do this, my research relies on a strong partnership with patients who contribute their time, data and experience to help me find answers.”

Dr. Butali is the Gilbert Lilly Endowed Professor of Diagnostic Sciences at the College of Dentistry, University of Iowa Health Care.

A researcher in dental and craniofacial genetics, Dr. Butali also directs the African Craniofacial Anomalies Network.

“My research has included looking at non-syndromic clefts – a birth defect where the nasal and oral cavities have not divided completely – in populations of African descent.

“The African Craniofacial Anomalies Network is a collaboration between scientists in Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Rwanda. We aim to train and build capacity in Africa for research into dental and craniofacial diseases, to investigate the genetics and environmental causes of dental and craniofacial diseases, and to create opportunities for transdisciplinary and global research.

“Genetics is a rapidly evolving field, and there is need for constant training and retraining to keep abreast with the dynamic research environment.”

Dr. Moutsopoulos is the Associate Scientific Director and Tenure Track/Assistant Clinical Investigator (TT/ACI) Faculty Development in the Oral Immunity and Infection Section at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Dr. Moutsopoulos leads the Moutsopoulos Lab, which studies oral mucosal immunity in health and disease.

“We take a bedside-to-bench approach to studying oral mucosal immunity, aiming to understand oral diseases in people and help treat them.

“Research in our lab combines many types of work, ranging from seeing patients in the clinic to performing wet lab experiments, analyzing data and applying computational approaches.

“We are thrilled that our lab has been able to partner with scientists and clinicians from many fields with the idea that diverse perspectives can help tackle complex questions in biology and medicine.”

Dr. Klein is a Professor of Pediatrics at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Klein is a pediatrician and medical geneticist. His research focuses on craniofacial development.

“Our lab is studying how teeth form and how the lining of the mouth (the oral mucosa) can heal so quickly and without scarring.

“To study craniofacial and dental birth defects, we perform a variety of studies, including using mouse and zebrafish animal models, experiments with cells derived from patients, and genetic and phenotypic analyses of the patients themselves.

“By learning how stem cells fuel both normal turnover of tissues as well as repair of injuries and other types of damage, we are laying a foundation for harnessing the regenerative power of these amazing cells and thinking about how to use them therapeutically.”

Dr. Kaigler is the Director of Kaigler Lab and currently a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine (School of Dentistry) and Biomedical Engineering (College of Engineering).,at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Dr. Kaigler leads the Kaigler Research Group, which is focused on the development of methods to regenerate tissue.

“My lab conducts research on stem cell-based therapies for the regeneration of oral tissues. We are currently trying to determine how stem cells from the body can be procured, cultivated and re-introduced to the body to repair, regenerate and reconstruct diseased and damaged tissues.

“This stem cell therapy could have great impact on people and their everyday lives by enabling treatment of debilitating conditions for which there are currently limited treatment options.

“Using stem cell therapies to successfully treat patients in our clinical trials and seeing the impact it has had on patients are highlights of my career.”

Dr. Chi is a Professor and Associate Dean for Research, as well as the Lloyd and Kay Chapman Endowed Chair for Oral Health, at the University of Washington School of Dentistry.

Dr. Chi is a pediatric dentist whose research addresses health disparities. He works with vulnerable and marginalized communities, targeting health inequality.

“Many individuals from vulnerable communities have similar experiences. These include difficulties accessing dental care, high sugar diets, and inadequate fluoride exposure – all of which pose risks for their oral health.

“Oral health inequities in childhood can lead to pain, missing teeth, hospitalizations, systemic diseases and missed school days. These factors have lifelong consequences, many of which are irreversible.

“It’s an absolute joy working with children though pediatric dentistry. My research is aimed at breaking the disease cycle. Conducting research that has a positive impact on vulnerable families is something I am very proud of.”

Dr. Shiboski is based at the School of Dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Shiboski studies how immune dysfunction can manifest in oral health problems.

“If a person’s immune system is weak, they may develop more infections (from either bacteria, viruses or fungi), and some of these infections can happen in the mouth.

“The immune system can also be overactive, when a person has an autoimmune disease. There are many different autoimmune diseases, with each one affecting a different part of the body that is being attacked by overreactive immune cells.

“My career highlights include having the opportunity to work with multidisciplinary teams for my work in HIV (a condition where the body’s immune system is unable to fight off infection or disease), and for my work in Sjögren’s disease (a condition where the body attacks glands that secrete fluid).”

Educational Materials about Careers in Dental Research

NIDCR offers a set of educational materials designed to introduce students to the world of opportunity in dental, oral, and craniofacial research careers. All files are freely available for educators or students to download.

Brochure: A World of Opportunity in Dental Research

This brochure defines the field of dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) research and features interviews with DOC scientists about their career paths and research.

Activity Sheet

This activity sheet includes talking points and activities designed to enhance comprehension and analysis of the A World of Opportunity in Dental Research brochure.

Animated Video

This video introduces the various types of DOC scientists.

Podcast

This podcast features an interview with NIDCR Deputy Director Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque about her path to becoming a dentist-scientist. An accompanying PowerPoint presentation provides discussion prompts about the podcast.

PowerPoint Presentation

This presentation features interviews with DOC scientists about their career paths and research, as well as talking points to foster discussion.