I'M JENNIFER WEBSTER SIRIAC,
HERE AT NIDCR, AND I CANNOT TELL
YOU HOW THRILLED I AM TO WELCOME
EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE TODAY FOR
THIS CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT
CELEBRATION.
WELCOME TO CELEBRATING THE PAST,
CHARTING THE FUTURE.
THIS IS OUR KICKOFF EVENT FOR
NIDCR'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY.
[APPLAUSE]
YES, 1948.
WE ARE SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE, AND
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
SO, NOT TO DELAY, WE WILL BEGIN
BY STARTING WITH A QUICK VIDEO.
AND THIS WILL HELP SET THE TONE
FOR THIS MORNING'S SYMPOSIUM.
>>75 YEARS AGO, AN EPIDEMIC OF
TOOTH DECAY THREATENED THE
HEALTH AND SECURITY OF THE
NATION.
THE PROBLEM WAS SO SEVERE, THAT
IT DISQUALIFIED MANY MILITARY
RECRUITS FROM SERVING DURING
WORLD WAR II.
PRESIDENT TRUMAN WAS COMPELLED
TO SIGN LEGISLATION THAT LED TO
THE FOUNDING OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF DENTAL RESEARCH IN
1948.
THE INSTITUTE WAS ENTRUSTED TO
LEAD THE NATION IN RESEARCH ON
THE CAUSES, PREVENTION, AND
TREATMENT OF DENTAL DISEASE.
THE INSTITUTE NOW KNOWN AS THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND
CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH HAS STAYED
TRUE TO ITS MISSION.
TODAY, MORE ADULTS ARE KEEPING
THEIR NATURAL TEETH THAN EVER
BEFORE, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD
DECAY IS MARKEDLY REDUCED.
THE INSTITUTE SCIENCE IS
REVEALING LINKS BETWEEN ORAL
DISEASES AND CONDITIONS SUCH AS
HEART DISEASE, DIABETES,
HIV/AIDS, COGNITIVE DECLINE AND
ALZHEIMER'S.
NIDCR RESEARCHERS ARE SHEDDING
LIGHT ON CRANIOFACIAL CONDITIONS
SUCH AS CLEFT LIP, WITH AND
WITHOUT CLEFT PALATE, DEVELOPING
NEW BIOMATERIALS, FOCUSING ON
EARLY DETECTION OF HEAD AND NECK
CANCERS, AND SPEARHEADING
THERAPIES FOR BONE DISORDERS AND
SALIVARY GLAND DISEASE.
NOTABLE ARE TWO RESEARCHERS WHO
SHARED THE NOBEL PRIZE IN
PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE FOR THEIR
NIDCR-SUPPORTED DISCOVERIES INTO
HOW OUR BODIES SENSE
TEMPERATURE, TOUCH AND PAIN.
NIDCR'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY GIVES
US A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE THESE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND TO LOOK
FORWARD TO THE WORK THAT LIES
AHEAD.
THE 2021 ORAL HEALTH IN AMERICA
REPORT SHOWED THAT PEOPLE FROM
MARGINALIZED GROUPS FACE HIGHER
BURDENS OF ORAL DISEASE, AND
LACK ACCESS TO SAFE, HIGH
QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE DENTAL
CARE.
THEREIN LIES OUR CHALLENGE FOR
THE FUTURE.
WE MUST TRANSLATE SCIENTIFIC
DISCOVERIES INTO TREATMENTS AND
CARE THAT EVERYONE CAN ACCESS.
BUILDING A PATIENT-CENTERED
EVIDENCE BASE THAT GUIDES
SCIENCE-BASED PRACTICES FOR
HEALTH PROFESSIONS IS A GOAL
THAT NIDCR EMBRACES TODAY.
IN PARALLEL, WE MUST BUILD AN
ORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE THAT
REPRESENTS EVERYONE IN OUR
NATION.
NIDCR'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMES
AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT.
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES ARE
MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO SOLVE
PREVIOUSLY INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS.
NEW 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY WILL
MAKE CUSTOMIZED DENTURES AND
IMPLANTS MORE AFFORDABLE AND
ACCESSIBLE, AND STUDIES WILL
SHED LIGHT ON THE CAUSES OF
PERIIMPLANTITIS.
BY IMPLEMENTING ELECTRONIC
DENTAL AND MEDICAL RECORDS,
CLINICIANS ARE BEING EMPOWERED
TO PROVIDE MORE HOLISTIC
HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE.
THIS WILL HELP RESEARCHERS TRACK
ORAL DISEASE TRENDS AND
UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITIES MOST
AFFECTED.
TOGETHER, PASSIONATE AND
COMMITTED, WE CAN ACHIEVE BETTER
ORAL HEALTH FOR ALL.
[APPLAUSE]
>>HELLO, EVERYONE.
I HOPE THAT CAPTURED THE SPIRIT
OF THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE -- THIS IS A TIME TO
CELEBRATE OUR PAST, WHAT REALLY
ALL OUR PREVIOUS DIRECTORS AND I
MUST HONOR AND THANK THEM, THE
PREVIOUS EIGHT, AND THOSE WHO
WILL FOLLOW ME, THAT WOULD
ENSURE, IN FACT, THAT THE NEXT
25 YEARS ARE GOOD YEARS FOR THE
INSTITUTE AND FOR NIH.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS
PARTICULAR EVENT HAS A VERY
SPECIAL MEANING, AND THE ENTIRE
CELEBRATION THIS YEAR IS DEEP
AND PURPOSEFUL FOR REASON.
AS WE STAND TODAY AS AN
INSTITUTE, WE STAND TO BENEFIT
FROM THE PARTNERSHIPS AND THE
COLLABORATIONS, SO TODAY
ACTUALLY CELEBRATES OUR
STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS.
I THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
ALL OUR OTHER DISTINGUISHED
GUESTS.
AS WE COME TOGETHER WITH THAT
COMMITMENT TO FORGE A PATH FOR
THE FUTURE.
SO NOW WE WILL LISTEN TO A
MESSAGE FROM OUR ACTING
DIRECTOR, DR. TABAK, WHO TRULY
IS A TRANSFORMATIVE LEADER OF
OUR TIMES.
HE COULDN'T BE HERE, HE WAS
CALLED AT SHORT NOTICE TO ATTEND
TO A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY IN
KANSAS WITH SENATOR MORAN, SO
LARRY REGRETS AND HE MADE SURE
HE TOLD ME HE WOULD HAVE HAD
MORE FUN HERE, BUT -- SO DO
LISTEN TO THE VIDEO.
I THINK HE DOES HAVE A VISION
FOR THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU.
>>GOOD MORNING.
I'M LARRY TABAK, THE ACTING
DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
AND I'M VERY GLAD TO BE ABLE TO
BE HERE WITH YOU VIRTUALLY ON
THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND
CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH.
BEFORE BEGINNING, I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE TWO THINGS.
THE FIRST IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE DR
DR. RENA D'SOUZA, THE DIRECTOR
OF NIDCR, WHO IS THE RECIPIENT
OF THE 2023IADR DISTINGUISHED
SCIENTIST AWARD IN CRANIOFACIAL
BIOLOGY RESEARCH.
[APPLAUSE]
RENA, BRAVA.
AND SECONDLY, I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE VERY BROAD
COMMUNITY OF NIDCR-SUPPORTED
INVESTIGATORS, BOTH WITHIN THE
EXTRAMURAL PROGRAM AND THE
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM, PAST AND
PRESENT, FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AND FOR
CONTINUOUSLY SHEPPARDING THE
GROWTH OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF
RESEARCHERS.
NOW IN THE TIME THAT I HAVE
AVAILABLE, I WOULD LIKE TO
CONVINCE YOU OF THREE THINGS,
THAT THE FUTURE OF SCIENCES'
DATA-DRIVEN TEAM SCIENCE, THAT
DIVERSITY STRENGTHENS TEAMS, AND
THAT DATA IS THE NEW OIL.
SO LET'S BEGIN FIRST WITH THE
FUTURE OF SCIENCE IS DATA-DRIVEN
TEAM SCIENCE.
NOW, NIH IS REALLY ON ITS WAY TO
BECOMING THE FIRST SCIENTIFIC
FUNDER TO BE ABLE TO PREDICT THE
OUTCOMES OF ITS INVESTMENTS
USING DATA ANALYTICS AND
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND
MACHINE LEARNING.
IN THIS WAY, WE ARE ATTEMPTING
TO IDENTIFY RESEARCH THAT IS
LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A
BREAKTHROUGH.
WE'RE TRYING TO QUANTIFY THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INVESTMENTS
AND SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT OF
KNOWLEDGE, AND WE ARE USING DATA
TO PRIORITIZE SUPPORT AND
POTENTIALLY ACCELERATE DISCOVERY
IN BO THOSE MATURE AND EMERGING
FIELDS OF SCIENCE THAT REQUIRE
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
AND WE ARE TRACKING THE
PRODUCTIVITY OF
INTERDISCIPLINARY AND TEAM
SCIENCE TO ASSESS THEIR RELATIVE
CONTRIBUTIONS.
IN THIS NEXT SLIDE, WHAT YOU SEE
IS AN EXPERIMENT THAT WE
ACTUALLY CONDUCTED ON OURSELVES.
THE NIH OFFICE OF PORTFOLIO
ANALYSIS ANALYZED COLLABORATIONS
OF NIH INTRAMURAL INVESTIGATORS,
AND USING SOME 25,000 DIFFERENT
PUBLICATIONS THAT THIS COHORT
PRODUCED OVER A FOUR-YEAR
PERIOD, THEY BEND THE SCIENCE BY
INVESTIGATIONS THAT WERE
CONTRIBUTED BY SCIENTISTS FROM
ONE INSTITUTE OR CENTER ALONE,
SCIENCE THAT WAS CONTRIBUTED BY
AT LEAST SEVERAL INVESTIGATORS
WITHIN ONE INSTITUTE, TWO OR
MORE INSTITUTES OR CENTERS,
THREE OR MORE INSTITUTES OR
CENTERS AND GREATER THAN THREE
INSTITUTES OR CENTERS.
AND USING A RELATIVE CITATION
RATIO, WHICH IS A MEASURE OF
PUBLICATION IMPACT WITHIN A
GIVEN FIELD, YOU CAN SEE VERY
CLEARLY THAT WHEN YOU HAVE FEWER
COLLABORATIONS, COLLABORATIONS
IN THE SAME DISCIPLINES, THE
RELATIVE IMPACT OF THE EMERGING
PUBLICATIONS IS SUBSTANTIALLY
LESS THAN WHEN YOU HAVE
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THREE OR
GREATER INSTITUTES OR CENTERS.
MEANING THAT THE MORE
COLLABORATIVE WORK YOU HAVE FROM
THE TEAMS THAT ARE DIFFERENT
FROM ONE ANOTHER, THE GREATER
THE IMPACT.
SIMILARLY WHEN YOU ASK THE
QUESTION WHETHER THE WORK IS
CITED IN A CLINICAL ARTICLE TO
SEE IF IT HAS ANY CLINICAL
IMPACT, THE SAME TREND IS
OBSERVED.
THE GREATER THE NUMBER OF MULTI
OR INTERDISCIPLINARY
COLLABORATORS, THE GREATER THE
EFFECT.
FINALLY WHEN YOU ASK WHAT
PUBLICATIONS ARE ULTIMATELY
CITED BY A PATENT, CLEARLY,
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS ADVANTAGE
TO THE WORK THAT WAS DONE IN
THREE OR MORE INSTITUTES OR
CENTERS.
NOW, THAT, OF COURSE, SUGGESTS
THAT THE INTERDISCIPLINARITY,
THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARITY OF THE
TEAMS IS IMPORTANT, AND INDEED,
I'D LIKE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT
BY POSITING THAT DIVERSITY
ACTUALLY STRENGTHENS TEAMS IN A
VERY REAL AND SIGNIFICANT WAY.
MANY, MANY STUDIES, AND WE JUST
HAVE A FEW THAT ARE LISTED HERE,
HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT WHEN YOU
HAVE A DIVERSE RESEARCH TEAM,
THE PAPERS THAT THEY PRODUCE ARE
MORE NOVEL, THEY ARE MORE HIGHLY
CITED, THEY HAVE GREATER IMPACT,
AND THEY DISPLAY AND ENHANCE
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION.
NOW AGAIN, WE DID SOME ANALYSIS,
AND THIS IS THE OFFICE OF
PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AGAIN, WHICH
SHOWED THAT DEMOGRAPHICICALLY
DIVERSE CO-AUTHORSHIP INCREASES
THE IMPACT OF NIH-FUNDED
PUBLICATIONS.
SO IN THIS INSTANCE, THEY LOOKED
AT PAPERS FROM PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATORS FROM NIH RPG FOR A
PERIOD OF SOME NINE YEARS, AND
THEY DIVIDED THE PUBLICATIONS
INTO TWO CATEGORIES, USING
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT IS
SELF-REPORTED WITH REGARD TO
ETHNICITY, RACE AND GENDER.
NON-DIVERSE TEAMS SHOWN IN THE
BLUE TRACING ON THE LOWER
PORTION OF EACH OF THESE PANELS
ARE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
EFFECTIVELY MALE WHITE AUTHORS.
AND THE DIVERSE TEAMS, AGAIN,
THE UPPER TRACING OR YELLOW IN
EACH OF THE PANELS REPRESENT
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM DIVERSE
TEAMS, AND THE INTERMEDIATE LINE
OR GREY JUST IS COMPILATION OF
ALL OF THE DATA.
AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS THAT BY
RELATIVE CITATION RATIO, OR
CLINICAL IMPACT OR TECHNICAL
IMPACT, IN ALL INSTANCES, THE
CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY DIVERSE
TEAMS FAR EXCEED THOSE MADE BY A
HOMOGENEOUS NON-DIVERSE GROUP OF
INVESTIGATORS.
NOW, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO
CONVINCE YOU OF IS THAT THE MOST
EXCITING ADVANCES, WHICH ARE
CERTAINLY BEING DRIVEN BY
INTERDISCIPLINARITY,
MULTI-DISCIPLINARITY, ARE BEING
MADE NOT AT TRADITIONAL
DISCIPLINES, BUT RATHER AT THE
INTERFACE OF THOSE DISCIPLINES.
NOW, THIS IS A DISCIPLINE MAP
WHICH BASICALLY PLOTS ALL THE
DIFFERENT CONTRIBUTIONS
PUBLISHED IN SCIENCE OVER A
PERIOD OF TIME, AND YOU CAN SEE
SOME VERY OBVIOUS DISCIPLINES.
FOR EXAMPLE, INFECTIOUS
DISEASES, COGNITIVE SCIENCE,
CLINICAL MEDICINE.
THESE ARE ALL VERY FAMILIAR TO
ALL OF YOU.
AND EACH NODE REPRESENTS A
SUBDISCIPLINE, AND THE LINES
BETWEEN THE NODES REPRESENT THE
STRENGTH OF THE SIMILARITY
BETWEEN THOSE NODES.
NOW WHAT I'D LIKE YOU TO DO IS I
WANT YOU TO FOCUS JUST FOR A
MOMENT OF A SUBSECTION OF THIS
PLOT BECAUSE MANY OF YOU HAVE
READ ABOUT OR INDEED MAYBE SOME
OF YOU HAVE STUDIED THE
POTENTIAL ROLE OF THE MICROBIOME
WITH OTHER ASPECTS OF HUMAN
HEALTH.
AND SO LET'S FOCUS ON JUST THIS
SUBSET OF THAT LARGER PLOT THAT
I SHARED WITH YOU.
TO LOOK AT THE INTERSECTION
AMONG INFECTIOUS DISEASE,
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES, THINGS LIKE
BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR
BIOLOGY, CLINICAL MEDICINE,
COGNITIVE SCIENCE, AND
PSYCHOLOGY.
IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE
INTERSECTION AMONG THESE THINGS,
AND THEN PARSE DOWN EVEN FURTHER
WFURTHER, WHAT YOU SEE IS AN
EMERGING AREA OF SCIENCE WHICH
REQUIRES A HIGHLY
INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
INVOLVING MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
FIELDS OF SCIENCE WHEREBY THE
MICROBIOTA, IN THIS CASE, THE
GUT FLORA, BUT THIS COULD ALSO
BE THE FLOOR WHAT WITHIN THE
THE FLORA, OF COURSE, ISSOMEHOWE
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM ULTIMATELY
HAVING INFLUENCE ON LIMBIC
SYSTEM AND ULTIMATELY THINGS
LIKE COGNITION, OR THE REVERSE.
EMOTION AND STRESS VIA THE
LIMBIC SYSTEM INFLUENCING THE
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM, INFLUENCING
TARGETS IN THE G.I. TRACT,
INFLUENCING THE MICROBIOTA.
SO THIS IS A FORWARDS AND
BACKWARDS POTENTIAL AXIS.
AND THIS SHOWS YOU HOW
INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES
FOSTER THE EMERGENCE OF BRAND
NEW NOVEL SCIENCE.
AND REALLY JUST SUCH AN EXCITING
OPPORTUNITY GOING FORWARD.
NOW FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO
CONVINCE YOU, AND I HOPE I HAVE
BY NOW, BUT DATA IS THE NEW OIL.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGIES AND COMPUTATIONAL
PROCESSING INCLUDING ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE
LEARNING HAVE ENABLED
INVESTIGATORS TO GENERATE
ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF DATA, BUT
WHAT WE'RE NOW DOING IS WE'RE
FIGURING OUT HOW TO BOTH STORE
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY COMPUTE ON
THOSE DATA, OFTEN TO DERIVE FROM
DISPARATE FIELDS OF SCIENCE.
NIH HAS REALLY MADE TREMENDOUS
PROGRESS IN THIS REGARD.
AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE OVER 200
200PETABYTES OF DATA AND THE
CONTENT OF THESE DATA ARE VERY
BROAD.
FROM GENETIC EXPRESSION AND
VARIATION ANALYSIS ALL THE WAY
TO CLINICAL ANALYTICS AND SO
FORTH.
AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
AND INDEED, ACQUIRING THE DATA,
STORING THE DATA IN A PLACE
WHERE IT CAN BE EASILY COMPUTED
UPON, AND FIGURING OUT NOVEL
APPROACHES TO DO CROSS-PLATFORM
COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS IS REALLY
WHERE ALL THE ACTION IS GOING
FORWARD.
AND I JUST WANT TO CLOSE BY
POINTING OUT TO YOU THAT INDEED,
NIDCR IS MAKING ITS VERY
IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION IN THIS
DATA-RICH SPACE, AND I'M USING
THIS AS ONE EXAMPLE, THE SO-C
SO-CALLED FACEBASE INITIATIVE,
WHICH DR. D'SOUZA HAS BEEN
LEADING MOST RECENTLY, AND AS
YOU CAN SEE, THIS VERY IMPORTANT
DATA AND ANALYSIS HUB IS REALLY
SUPPORTING CRANIOFACIAL AND
DENTAL RESEARCHERS IN A WHOLE
RANGE OF WAYS.
AND WE CERTAINLY APPLAUD THIS
AND LACK FORWARD -- AND LOOK FOO
THE MANY NEW FINDINGS THAT THIS
TYPE OF DATA AND OTHERS LIKE IT
WILL SPAWN IN THE FUTURE.
SO WITH THAT, AGAIN, I WOULD
LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION, AND I DO HOPE THAT
THE REMAINDER OF THE SYMPOSIUM
IS REALLY WONDERFUL FOR YOU.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LARRY.
YOU MISSED AT THIS VERY SPECIAL
EENT, EVENT, BUT YOUR WORDS OF M
GUIDE US.
AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN THE
75 YEARS THAT AS A PROFESSION OF
THE ORAL HEALTH SCIENCES, YOU
HAVE DISTINGUISHED YOURSELF AND
US.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND OBVIOUSLY NOW FOR ME TO
INTRODUCE DR. FRANCIS COLLINS IS
A DAUNTING TASK.
FRANCIS, I'M SO GRATEFUL AND NOT
JUST BECAUSE YOU HIRED ME AT NIH
IN A VIRTUAL SETTING, BUT
BECAUSE YOU ARE A MAN OF YOUR
TIMES.
YOU ARE A REMARKABLE INDIVIDUAL.
YOU INTRODUCED TO US AND SOCIETY
THE HUMAN GENOME.
THAT GENOMIC ERA, THAT PROJECT
THAT YOU SPEARHEADED ALONG WITH
COLLEAGUES IN 2003 WAS
COMPLETED, AND ACTUALLY OPENED
UP FOR ALL OF US AND NOT JUST AT
NIDCR BUT THE GENERAL FIELD OF
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH HOPE AND
PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
YOUR PRESENCE, BOTH NOW ON THE
HILL AND AT THE WHITE HOUSE IS
ALSO VERY IMPACTFUL.
BEING A MEMBER, AN ELECTED
MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF
MEDICINE AND THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, YOU RECEIVED
THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF
FREEDOM IN NOVEMBER 2007, AND
ALSO THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF
SERVICE IN 2009.
VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PRESENCE.
LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR WORDS.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
DR. D'SOUZA.
ALSO THANKS TO DR. WEBSTER
SIRIAC AND TO MY FRIEND, LARRY
TABAK, WHO I'M QUITE SURE HE WAS
SPEAKING HONESTLY WHEN HE SAID
HE WOULD HAVE MORE FUN IF HE WAS
HERE, BUT HE IS DOING WHAT AN
ACTING DIRECTOR SHOULD DO WHEN
INVITED BY A SENATOR TO GO AND
TAKE PART IN THE CELEBRATION OF
THE OPENING OF A NEW CANCER
CENTER IN KANSAS.
SO WE WILL ALL HAVE TO GIVE HIM
A RUNDOWN ON WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
HE RETURNS, BECAUSE I KNOW HE
WILL WANT TO KNOW.
AND ALSO, GLAD TO SEE IN THE
FRONT ROW ALL OF THESE
STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS WHO
HAVE COME FOR THIS SPECIAL DAY
AS WELL, BECAUSE NIH REALLY ONLY
SUCCEEDS BECAUSE OF THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS AND GLAD THAT YOU
ARE PART OF THIS CELEBRATION
WHERE WE'RE BOTH LOOKING BACK
AND LOOKING FORWARD.
IT DOES SEEM TO BE SORT OF A
YEAR OR MAYBE A SEASON OF
ANNIVERSARIES.
JUST IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS,
WE'VE CELEBRATED THE 70TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE DNA DOUBLE
HELIX, PUBLISHED IN 1953 BY
WATSON AND CRICK.
TOMORROW, I WILL SPEAK FROM THIS
VERY PODIUM ABOUT THE 70TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE NIH CLINICAL
CENTER, WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED
RIGHT NOW.
SEVEN DECADES OF REMARKABLE
ACHIEVEMENTS.
IN THIS LARGEST RESEARCH
HOSPITAL IN THE WORLD.
IT IS ALSO THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE COMPLETION OF ALL THE
ORIGINAL GOALS OF THE HUMAN
GENOME PROJECT, AND THANK YOU,
RENA, FOR REFERRING TO THAT AS
HAVING BEEN IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT WAS.
AND IT'S CERTAINLY HAD A BIG
IMPACT ON ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT
WE DO BOTH IN THE BASIC SCIENCE
LAB AND INCREASINGLY IN THE
CLINICAL SETTING AS WELL.
AND OKAY, JUST ONE MORE FOR ME,
IT'S MY 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF
COMING HERE TO NIH FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.
[APPLAUSE]
AND IT'S BEEN JUST AN AMAZING
OPPORTUNITY INCLUDING THOSE 12
YEARS WHERE I WAS PRIVILEGED TO
SERVE AS NIH DIRECTOR UNDER
THREE PRESIDENTS, AND NOW
WRITING MY RESEARCH LAB OVER IN
BUILDING 50, AS WELL AS
PROMOTING A REALLY IMPORTANT
PROJECT TO TRY TO ELIMINATE A
DISEASE CALLED HEPATITIS C IN
THE UNITED STATES, A DISORDER
WHICH IS FAMILIAR, CERTAINLY, TO
DENTISTS, AND ONE WHICH WE HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO DO
SOMETHING TRULY HISTORIC.
I DID ASK A FEW PEOPLE IN MY
LAB, WHAT INSTITUTE WOULD BE
HAVING ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY AT
THIS POINT?
AND THESE ARE POSTBACS WHO
HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR VERY LONG,
SO THEY'RE SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD
GOING, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN 1948,
UM, GOSH, THAT WAS PRETTY EARLY
DAYS.
WAS IT HEART?
NO.
WAS IT CANCER?
NO.
IT WAS DENTAL.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, REALLY?
WOW!
OKAY.
I THINK THE DENTAL INSTITUTE
PROBABLY HAS NOT GOTTEN THE
RESPECT IT DESERVES FOR THESE 7E
GOING TO TRY TO REALLY SEE WHAT
WE CAN DO TO CORRECT THAT.
[APPLAUSE]
LARRY TABAK DOES A PRETTY GOOD
IMITATION OF RODNEY DANGERFIELD
BUT I DON'T THINK WE OUGHT TO
TRY TO OVERDO THAT ISSUE ABOUT
NOT GETTING RESPECT.
THIS INSTITUTE HAS BEEN AN
AMAZING CONTRIBUTOR TO
EVERYTHING THAT NIH HAS
ACCOMPLISHED, AND I THINK MOST
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW
FOUNDATIONAL THAT HAS BEEN.
I LOOKED BACK ON THIS AND
DISCOVERED THAT THAT FIRST
COMMUNITY FLUORIDATION PROJECT
IN GRAND RAPIDS IN 1945 WAS KIND
OF CONTROVERSIAL AND WAS ONE OF
THE REASONS WHY IT WAS SEEN
NECESSARY TO HAVE A REALLY WELL
ORGANIZED GOVERNMENT EFFORT TO
STUDY DENTAL PRACTICE AND
RESEARCH, AND IT WAS A GOOD 10
YEARS LATER WHERE THE RESULTS OF
THE GRAND RAPIDS TRIAL CAME
FORWARD AND WOS OBVIOUSLY QUITE
CONVINCING.
I MIGHT SAY ON A PERSONAL NOTE,
I DID NOT BENEFIT FROM THAT,
GROWING UP ON A SMALL FARM ABOUT
2 1/2 HOURS FROM HERE, WHERE OUR
WATER CAME FROM A HAND-PUMPED
CISTERN, WATER THAT WAS
COLLECTED OFF OF THE ROOF OF THE
HOUSE WHEN IT RAINED.
SO I DIDN'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF
WHAT GRAND RAPIDS HAD TOLD US
WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD THING.
AND MY DENTIST IS SENDING HIS
CHILDREN TO COLLEGE AS A RESULT.
[LAUGHTER]
BUT CERTAINLY THAT WAS THE FIRST
AND MOST PROMINENT PART OF WHAT
WAS THEN NIDR'S MISSION, BUT
MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
IN STRETCHING THIS INTO MANY
DIFFERENT AND IMPORTANT AREAS
THAT I DON'T HAVE TIME TO RUN
THROUGH, BUT WHICH THERE'S A
NICE SUMMARY ON THE WEB IF YOU
WANT TO GO AND E EDUCATE YOURSEF
AS I'VE TRIED TO DO IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF DAYS.
THERE WAS THAT NATIONAL CARE CAS
PROGRAM STARTED IN 1971.
THERE WAS OF COURSE ALSO AN
ENLARGEMENT INTO UNDERSTANDING
THINGS LIKE CLEFT LIP AND CLEFT
PALATE, THE FIRST
MULTIDISCIPLINARY GRANT ON CLEFT
PALATE IN 1962, AND THEN ONLY IN
1998 DID NIDR BECOME NIDCR,
ADDING CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH
FORMALLY TO THE MISSION OF THIS
INSTITUTE IN A WAY THAT I THINK
HAS REALLY MOVED THAT FIELD
FORWARD IN DRAMATIC WAYS.
LOTS OF REORGANIZATIONS ALONG
THE WAY.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT CONNECTION
HERE THAT I THINK OUGHT TO BE
HIGHLIGHTED AS A REALLY
IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION OF NIDCR
IS RESEARCH ON PAIN.
AND THE FIRST MULTIDISCIPLINARY
PAIN CLINIC THAT WAS FOCUSED ON
RESEARCH WAS FOUNDED BY NIDR IN
1983.
AND NOW NIDCR BECOMES ONE OF THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT LEADERS IN OUR
PAIN RESEARCH EFFORTS AS PART OF
THE HEAL INITIATIVE.
WE ALL WOULD AGREE THAT WHAT HAS
HAPPENED WITH THE OPIOID CRISIS
IN THIS COUNTRY IS ONE OF THE
GREAT TRAGEDIES OF OUR TIME WITH
MORE THAN 100,000 LIVES BEING
LOST EVERY YEAR TO OVERDOSES,
MOSTLY OF OPIOIDS.
AND OF COURSE PEOPLE HAVE
VARIOUS WAYS OF GETTING
ADDICTED, AND ONE OF THEM
UNFORTUNATELY HAS BEEN
PRESCRIPTIONS FOR OPIOIDS WITH
GOOD INTENTIONS BUT NOT ALWAYS
GOOD OUTCOMES.
AND CERTAINLY THE DENTAL
PROFESSION HAS TAKEN THIS ON IN
A VERY SIGNIFICANT WAY AND NEEDS
TO CONTINUE TO DO SO.
BUT NIDCR IS ALSO INVOLVED IN
TRYING TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE
TO IDENTIFY OTHER ALTERNATIVES,
NON-ADDICTING PAIN MEDICINES
THAT COULD TAKE THE PLACE OF
OPIOIDS AND WOULD NOT CARRY THE
SAME RISK, WHICH IS A BIG PART
OF THE HEAL INITIATIVE.
AND THERE IS SOME REAL PROGRESS
GOING ON THERE.
I THINK NIDCR HAS ALSO TAKEN A
NATIONAL ROLE IN TRYING TO
ADVOCATE FOR ORAL HEALTH AND
SEEKING OUT PARTNERS TO DO SO,
AND A PARTICULAR INSTANCE IN
2000, THAT WAS DAVID SATCHER,
THE CDC SURGEON GENERAL AT THE
TIME, WHO TOGETHER WITH NIDCR
PUT OUT THIS CALL TO ACTION FOR
ORAL HEALTH.
AND THEN MORE RECENTLY, JUST TWO
YEARS AGO IN A DOCUMENT WHICH
WAS CO-SPONSORED BY NIH AND
SURGEON GENERAL VIVEK MURTHY, AN
UPDATE ON THAT ORAL HEALTH IN
AMERICA, MAKING IT CLEAR THAT WE
HAVE NOT SOLVED ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE CALLED UPON TO
DO BACK IN 2000, ALTHOUGH
PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, AND
AGAIN, THAT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A
COVER LETTER ASSIG SIGNED BY
DR. D'SOUZA, DR. MURTHY AND
MYSELF AND PROVIDES A PRETTY
IMPORTANT ADVOCACY DOCUMENT FOR
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT ORAL
HEALTH IN THIS COUNTRY.
FINALLY, I WOULD SAY I SAW IN
THE OPENING VIDEO THE COVER OF
THE MOST RECENT STRATEGIC PLAN.
THAT'S FROM TWO YEARS AGO, FROM
NIDCR.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD
DOCUMENT.
A LOT OF STRATEGIC PLANS THAT
NIH INSTITUTES PUT TOGETHER TEND
TO BE SO HIGH LEVEL THAT YOU
CAN'T REALLY TELL WHAT'S IN
THERE.
THESE FOLKS WERE MUCH MORE
SPECIFIC IN THEIR VARIOUS
COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN, AND EVEN
HAS A COMPONENT OF THIS PLAN
WHICH I PARTICULARLY LIKE AND
WHICH I'VE ADVOCATED ALL OF THE
ICs OUGHT TO STRIVE FOR AS
SORT OF A LIST OF THINGS THAT
IMAGINE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO
THIS.
THINGS THAT YOU AREN'T REALLY
QUITE SURE ARE ACHIEVABLE BUT
MAYBE WILL INSPIRE PEOPLE IF
THEY THINK ABOUT IT.
SO ANY WAWAY, THAT IS A VERY QUK
ROMP THROUGH 75 YEARS BUT HOW
ABOUT THE NEXT 75?
WELL, I'M GOING TO ADVOCATE,
BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I GENERALLY
THINK I'M SUPPOSED TO DO AND I
CAN'T HELP MYSELF ANYWAY, IS TO
BE BOLD, TO BE VISIONARY, TO
TAKE SOME RISKS, DO SOME
FABULOUS BASIC SCIENCE BUT
ALWAYS KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE
PATIENTS WHO ARE WAITING FOR
ANSWERS.
AGAIN, LOOKING AT THAT STRATEGIC
PLAN AND BRAINSTORMING ABOUT A
FEW OTHER THINGS, WHAT ARE SOME
OF THE THINGS MAYBE IN THE NEXT
FEW YEARS, AND I'M NOT GOING TO
TRY FOR 75, MAYBE FOR THE NEXT
FIVE OR 10, THAT SEEM
PARTICULARLY PROMISING.
CRANIOFACIAL DEVELOPMENTAL
PATHWAYS ARE GOING TO GET SORTED
OUT AT A LEVEL OF MOLECULAR
SPECIFICITY, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE
TOOLS TO DO THAT NOW WITH STEM
CELL RESEARCH, WITH THE ABILITY
TO LOOK AT SINGLE CELLS AND ASK
THEM WHAT THEY ARE DOING, WHAT
GENES ARE THEY EXPRESSING,
WHAT'S THE STATE OF THEIR
CHROMATIN, AND A WHOLE HOST OF
OTHER THINGS THAT ONE CAN DO
WITH TISSUE CHIPS.
THE ABILITY THEN TO UNDERSTAND
THE NORMAL DEVELOPMENTAL
PATHWAYS AND HOW GENETIC
VARIATIONS INTERSECT WITH THAT,
IT SEEMS TO ME, IS ON AN EVEN
STRONGER COURSE THAN I WOULD
HAVE THOUGHT POSSIBLE A FEW
YEARS AGO, AND I EXPECT A LOT OF
INTERESTING THINGS WILL HAPPEN
THERE.
MAYBE INCLUDING INTERVENTIONS
WITH REGENERATIVE MEDICINE,
THINGS LIKE 3D PRINTING THAT ARE
ALREADY EXCITING BUT ARE GOING
TO GET EVEN MORE SO.
MENTIONED ALSO BY DR. TABAK IN
HIS VERY NICE VIDEO THE
MICROBIOME AS A WAY OF BRINGING
A WHOLE LOT OF SCIENCE TOGETHER.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STUDYING
THAT G.I. TRACT FOR ITS
MICROBIOME.
THE ORAL MICROBIOME, GOT TO BE
AT LEAST AS IMPORTANT AND HAS
PROBABLY GOTTEN LESS ATTENTION.
AND THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND
HOW THAT PLAYS OUT IN HEALTH AND
DISEASE AND HOW THAT MIGHT
INFLUENCE THE CHOICE OF TRULY
SCIENCE-DRIVEN PROBIOTICS AS
OPPOSED TO THE HAND WAVING
PROBIOTICS THAT WE LARGELY SEE
AROUND US RIGHT NOW HAS GOT TO
BE PRETTY INTERESTING.
I WAS ALSO APPRECIATIVE THAT HE
WAS MAKING THE CASE ABOUT THE
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE GUT AND
THE BRAIN, AND THAT IS CERTAINLY
SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO GOING TO
INVOLVE THE ORAL CAVITY.
IF YOU DON'T THINK THE GUT AND
THE BRAIN ARE CONNECTED, LOOK
WHAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW IN
DIABETES.
I WAS, ON FRIDAY, AT A MEETING
OF THE OTHER ADA, THE AMERICAN
DIABETES ASSOCIATION, WHERE
THERE WERE NO LESS THAN FOUR
CLINICAL TRIALS BEING PUT
FORWARD ABOUT THE ADVANCES IN
THESE INCRETIN AGONISTS THAT DO
THINGS THAT ARE AGONISTS FOR
THINGS LIKE GLP1 RECEPTOR AND GI
RECEPTOR WITH JUST DRAMATIC
CONSEQUENCES FOR KI DIKES WHO S
WHO ARE ALSO OBESE.
REDUCING YOUR A1C IN 4 MONTHS,
THE AVERAGE WEIGHT LOSS IN MANY
OF THESE PROTOCOLS, 15 TO 20% OF
BODY WEIGHT, ALL HAPPENING IN
FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AND NOT MUCH
IN THE SHORT TERM ANYWAY OF
APPARENT SIDE EFFECTS.
SO THERE IS THE GUT AND THE
BRAIN IN PROFOUNDLY INTERESTING
WAYS BECAUSE THESE ARE ENDOCRINE
HORMONES THAT ARE PRODUCED BY
THE GUT AND OBVIOUSLY HAVE A BIG
EFFECT ON SATIETY.
SO BRINGING THAT ALL TOGETHER,
AND THE EMPHASIS THAT LARRY MADE
ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS IS GOING TO
BE CRITICAL HERE SO I'D LOVE TO
SEE MORE AND MORE OF THOSE
HAPPENING BETWEEN DENTAL
RESEARCHERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE
INVOLVED IN ENDOCRINOLOGY AND
PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN
NEUROSCIENCE.
CANCER, OF COURSE, IS A CRITICAL
AREA OF INTEREST FOR NIDCR,
CANCERS OF THE HEAD AND NECK.
THOSE ARE TOUGH PROBLEMS BUT YOU
KNOW, WITH THE WAY IN WHICH WE
ARE SEEING ADVANCES IN VACCINES
FOR CANCERS, MUCH OF IT IS
STIMULATED BY THE MRNA
TECHNOLOGY.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A WHOLE LOT
OF INTERESTING ACTIVITY THERE,
WHERE YOU CAN, BECAUSE THE CYCLE
TIME FOR DEVELOPING A CANCER
VACCINE IS GREATLY REA DUED BY -
REDUCED BY THE ABILITY TO USE
THE MRNA APPROACH.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY IMAGINE HAVING
SOMEBODY WHOSE CANCER HAS BEEN
DIAGNOSED, WHERE THE CANCER HAS
BEEN SEQUENCED TO DETERMINE WHAT
ARE THE DRIVER MUTATIONS AND
THEN YOU GENERATE A SORT OF
PERSON-SPECIFIC BESPOKE VACCINE
FOR THAT PARTICULAR TARGET, AND
SEE WHAT YOU COULD DO TO
ACTIVATE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO GO
AFTER THE CANCER THAT IT SOMEHOW
HAS NOT MANAGED TO RECOGNIZE.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO
BECOME MUCH MORE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY.
PRECISION DENTAL HEALTH IS ALSO
MENTIONED IN YOUR STRATEGIC
PLAN.
I'M A BIG FAN OF PRECISION
EVERYTHING, AND PRECISION DENTAL
HEALTH CERTAINLY SEEMS LIKE
SOMETHING WE WOULD ALL WANT TO
SEE GO FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE, WHERE WE GET AWAY FROM
ONE SIZE FIT ALL IN TERMS OF
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT AND
REALLY TRY TO OPTIMIZE THAT FOR
THE INDIVIDUAL, BECAUSE WE'RE
ALL DIFFERENT.
OUR GENETICS ARE DIFFERENT, OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES ARE
DIFFERENT OW MEDICAL HISTORY IS
DIFFERENT, OUR DENTAL HISTORY IS
DIFFERENT, OUR HEALTH BEHAVIORS
ARE DIFFERENT.
WHY DON'T WE TRY TO USE THAT
INFORMATION IN THE MOST RIGOROUS
WAY POSSIBLE TO TRY TO DRIVE
OUTCOMES TO BE BETTER.
AND I KNOW DR. D'SOUZA IS ALSO
LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITIES
IN THIS CASE OF HOW WE MIGHT
UTILIZE THIS LARGEST EVER NIH
LONGITUDINAL COHORT STUDY CALLED
ALL-OF-US, TO BE ABLE TO TAP IN
TO SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
IF YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO
UNDERSTAND PRECISION HEALTH AND
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PEOPLE,
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A LOT OF
PEOPLE TO STUDY SO THAT THOSE
DIFFERENCES ARE REPRESENTED.
ALL-OF-US IS NOW INITY FO IN --S
FOURTH OR FIFTH YEAR.
IT HAS ALREADY ENROLLED 610,000
PARTICIPANTS.
THEY'RE HIGHLY DIVERSE.
50% OF THEM ARE OF RACIAL AND
ETHNIC DIVERSE GROUPS AND THEY
HAVE ALSO DIVERSITY IN
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, IN RURAL
VERSUS UR BAN, IN GENDER AND
AGE.
THEY'VE ALL CONSENTED TO ACCESS
TO THEIR MEDICAL RECORDS AND ALL
ARE HAVING THEIR GENOMES
COMPLETE THELY SEQUENCED.
THERE'S ALREADY 245,000 WHOLE
GENOME SEQUENCES THAT HAVE BEEN
DETERMINED AND ARE AVAILABLE TO
RESEARCHERS WHO ARE INTERESTED
IN STARTING TO LOOK.
SO GETTING THIS A LITTLE CLOSER
TO DENTAL ISSUES SEEMS LIKE A
REALLY TIMELY THING TO DO.
THIS IS THE MOMENT TO TRY TO
BUILD THAT CONNECTION.
DIAGNOSTICS, SOMETHING I'VE BEEN
VERY ENGAGED IN WITH COVID,
WHERE SALIVARY DIAGNOSTICS ARE
AWFULLY APPEALING IN
CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE YOU DON'T
WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH
PHLEBOTOMY AND YOU DON'T WANT TO
HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNEASY ABOUT
HAVING TO GIVE A BLOOD SAMPLE,
SALIVARY DIAGNOSTICS, I THINK
ARE STILL AN UNTAPPED AREA OF
OPPORTUNITY.
CERTAINLY I MENTIONED A MINUTE
AGO MY OBSESSION ABOUT HEPATITIS
C, A DISEASE THAT'S KILLING
15,000 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR IN THE
UNITED STATES, FOR WHICH WE HAVE
A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE CURE, ONE
PILL A DAY FOR 12 WEEKS, NO SIDE
EFFECTS, 98% CURE, AND YET IT IS
NOT GETTING TO THE PEOPLE WHO
NEED IT BECAUSE HEPATITIS C
OFTEN HAS NO SYMPTOMS FOR A
DECADE OR MORE.
AND ONLY ABOUT HALF OF THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT EVEN KNOW
THEY HAVE IT.
AND AGAIN, GETTING THE DIAGNOSIS
RIGHT NOW IS KIND OF CLUMSY.
IT TAKES LIKE THREE VISITS
BEFORE YOU GET AN ANSWER,
REQUIRES BIG LABORATORIES AND A
LOT OF DELAY.
SUPPOSE WE HAD A SALIVARY TEST
POINT OF CARE FOR HEPATITIS C
THAT WOULD BE TRANSFORMATIVE.
PEOPLE HAVE WORKED AT THAT, AND
CAN YOU CLEARLY -- YOU CAN
CLEARLY SEE SUCCESS IF THE VIRAL
LOAD IS AT A CERTAIN LEVEL BUT
NOT QUITE SENSITIVE ENOUGH,
SOMEBODY OUGHT TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO KNOCK THAT SENSITIVITY
PROBLEM OUT AND SEE IF WE COULD
DO SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
THE ADMINISTRATION IS STRONGLY
SUPPORTING A MAJOR INITIATIVE
HERE IN THE CONGRESS, WE HOPE
WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT TO FIND
AND CURE THOSE 2 1/2 MILLION
PEOPLE IN THE U.S., PREERCHTING
PREVENTINGTHEM FROM A DOWNSTREAM
CONSEQUENCE OF LIVER CIRRHOSIS,
LIVER FAILURE, LIVER CANCER
THAT'S GOING TO COST A LOT OF
LIVES AND A LOT OF HEALTHCARE
MONEY THAT WE WON'T HAVE TO
SPEND IF WE BASICALLY FIND THESE
PEOPLE AND CURE THEM FIRST.
PAIN, AGAIN I MENTIONED EARLIER,
I THINK AGAIN ANYTHING THAT
NIDCR CAN DO GIVEN THAT PAIN IS
A LONG TERM AREA OF INTEREST
WITH A LOT OF EXPERTISE, THE
MORE OF THAT WE CAN BRING TO
BEAR ON THE HEAL INITIATIVE AND
FINDING ALTERNATIVES FOR PEOPLE
WITH CHRONIC PAIN IS A REALLY
GOOD THING.
AND FINALLY, A COUPLE THINGS
THAT LARRY MENTIONED,
DATA-DRIVEN TEAM SCIENCE WITH
APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE
LEARNING ARE SO RIPE FOR ALL
KINDS OF APPLICATIONS, FACEBASE
HE MENTIONED WAS JUST ONE OF
THEM, AND THEN DIVERSITY.
I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE DATA THAT
HE PUT FORWARD.
WE INCREASINGLY HAVE THAT DATA.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE HAVE THOUGHT
OUR EMPHASIS ON DIVERSITY IN THE
WORKFORCE WAS JUST A NICE THING
TO HAVE, AND IT IS A NICE THING
TO HAVE, BUT IF YOU REALLY ARE
LOOKING AT PRODUCTIVITY, IT'S
ALSO AN ESSENTIAL THING TO HAVE,
AND WE NEED TO MAKE THAT CASE
EVERY CHANCE WE HAVE.
ESPECIALLY AT A TIME LIKE THIS,
WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME
RESISTANCE TO SOME OF THOSE
IDEAS COMING FROM SOME QUARTERS.
FINALLY, I WOULD SAY ONE MORE
THING THAT EVERY INSTITUTE AT
NIH AND EVERY GOVERNMENT AGENCY
AND EVERY SCIENCE ORGANIZATION
NEEDS TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW IS
OUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
IT IS DEEPLY TROUBLING TO SEE IN
THE CONTEXT OF WHAT HAS BEEN ONE
OF THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS OF
SCIENCE IN THE HISTORY OF
HUMANITY THE DEVELOPMENT OF
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND SAFE COVID
VACCINES IN 11 MONTHS, THAT
PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN SCIENCE HAS
ACTUALLY DROPPED, DRIVEN BY A
GREAT DEAL OF MISINFORMATION AND
UNFORTUNATELY SOME REALLY BAD
POLITICS MIXED IN WITH IT.
WE DO NOT WANT TO GO AND HIDE IN
THE LAB AS A RESULT OF THIS.
WE ALL HAVE TO SOMEHOW INCREASE
OUR ABILITIES TO BE WINSOME,
THOUGHTFUL, GOOD LISTENERS, BUT
ALSO WILLING TO PUT OUT THERE
WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL FACTS BASED
UPON RIGOROUS SCIENCE SO THAT
PEOPLE CAN MAKE WISE DECISIONS
ABOUT THEIR OWN CARE.
WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO TO
TURN THIS CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCE
AROUND, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE
UP TO ALL OF US.
SO WITH THAT, I SIMPLY WANT TO
CONCLUDE BY SAYING DELIGHTED TO
BE HERE TO TAKE PART IN A VERY
SPECIAL DAY, THIS 75TH
ANNIVERSARY OF NIDCR.
YOU HAVE DONE GREAT THINGS.
I'M ASKING YOU TO CONTINUE AND
EVEN EXPAND THAT GREATNESS BY
THE NEXT 75 YEARS.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>>WOW.
WOULD YOU AND LARRY HAVE
EMPHASIZED, FRANCIS, OUR THEMES
AND REALLY VISIONS THAT NIDCR
EMBRACES VERY, VERY DEEPLY.
JUST TO ADD TO THAT LIST OF
FACTOIDS, IT WAS KLEINMAN'S WORK
AND THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM THAT
LED TO THE CREATION OF MIXAGEL.
IT WAS THE WORK OF PAM ROBE
WHO'S HERE AND HER TEAM THAT
FORGED THE STEM CELL BIOLOGY
FIELD AND REALLY, I THINK, IS SO
CRITICAL FOR REGENERATIVE
MEDICINE, AND I CAN GO ON AND
ON.
THROUGH THE YEAR, THE EMPHASIS
IS ON THE SCIENCE.
WE CHOSE NOT TO HAVE A GALA
EVENT BUT TO ACTUALLY FOCUS ON
THE SCIENCE OF THE PAST THAT GOT
US HERE TO THE PRESENT, AND WHAT
WE AS A COMMUNITY WANT FOR THE
FUTURE.
SO WITH THAT, IT'S A GREAT
PLEASURE FOR ME TO INTRODUCE A
TRULY TRANSFORMATIVE LEADER OF
OUR PROFESSION, DR. LA LAURIE
MCCAULEY.
I'VE KNOWN LAURIE AS A FRIEND
AND A COLLEAGUE FOR DECADES ON
THE FIRST GORDON CONFERENCE ON
BONES AND TEETH.
LAURIE NOW SERVES AS A PROVOST
AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, AND SHE
OVERSEES THE UNIVERSITY'S
ACADEMIC AND BUDGETARY AFFAIRS.
SO IT'S A WONDERFUL POSITION TO
TRANSFORM NOT JUST ITS EDUCATION
AND SCIENCE AT THE SAME TIME,
THERE COULDN'T BE A BETTER
PERSON TO LEAD THE UNIVERSITY OF
MICHIGAN AT THIS TIME.
BEFORE THIS, SHE SERVED AS A
VERY SUCCESSFUL DEAN AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF
DENTISTRY FOR 10 YEARS AND CAME
THROUGH AS ALSO VERY PRODUCTIVE,
EFFECTIVE LEADER OF A DEPARTMENT
AND VERY LARGE INTEGRATIVE
DEPARTMENT IN THE SCHOOL OF
DENTISTRY.
AS AN ACTIVE RESEARCHER, LAURIE
HAS BEEN FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FOR MORE
THAN 25 YEARS, RECEIVING HER
FUNDING FROM NOT JUST THE NIDCR
BUT FROM NIEMS AND THE NATIONAL
CANCER INSTITUTE, AND SHE
MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE RESEARCH
LAB.
THAT'S INCREDIBLE, LAURIE.
SHE'S HELD SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS
AT THE BIOLOGY MOLECULAR AND
CELLULAR -- SUPERIOR DELEON AND
THE CENTER FOR EXPERIMENTAL
THERAPEUTICS AND REPERFUSION
INJURY AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S
HOSPITAL, HARVARD MEDICAL
SCHOOL, PART OF HER MANY
AFFILIATIONS.
SHE WAS ALSO AWARDED THE
DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST AWARD
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION FOR DENTAL RESEARCH,
AND I'M GLAD THAT CHRIS FOX IS
HERE REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION AND THE
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
DENTAL RESEARCH.
LAURIE IS ALSO A DISTINGUISHED
ALUMNI AWARD, RECEIVED THAT FROM
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY AND
THE NORTON M. ROSS AWARD FOR
EXCELLENCE IN CLINICAL RESEARCH
FROM THE AMERICAN DENTAL
ASSOCIATION.
SHE'S A FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT
OF SCIENCE, AND A MEMBER OF THE
NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF MEDICINE,
WHERE SHE SERVES AS SECTION
CHAIR.
DR. MCCAULEY HOLDS FOUR DEGREES
FROM THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY,
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
EDUCATION, DOCTOR OF DENTAL
SURGERY, MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
DENTISTRY AND A PH.D. IN
VETERINARY PATHOLOGY.
ALL OF THESE DEGREES, I THINK,
HAVE CHARTED LAURIE'S CAREER SO
WELL AND SO EFFECTIVELY, AND WE
ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU BEING HERE,
LAURIE.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>THANK YOU, RENA.
AND WHAT AN HONOR TO BE HERE!
IT'S JUST REALLY A DELIGHT TO BE
HERE ON THE OCCASION OF THE 75TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE NIDCR.
I'LL JUST START AND SAY FRANCIS
COLLINS IS A TOUGH ACT TO
FOLLOW.
WE OVERLAPPED FOR ONE YEAR AT
MICHIGAN.
BUT FROM THERE, I WILL TELL YOU
THIS PRESENTATION WILL DIFFER
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT I HOPE
TO BRING, AND THAT IS FOR MANY
DIMENSIONS, BEING A DAUGHTER OF
A DENTIST, HAVING WORKED AS A
DENTAL ASSISTANT, A DENTAL
HYGIENIST, A DENTIST, A
PERIODONTIST, A PROFESSOR, A
SCIENTIST, A DEPARTMENT CHAIR, A
DEAN, AND NOW PROVOST, AND
IMPORTANTLY, AS A DENTAL
PATIENT.
SO LET ME MOVE THIS FORWARD.
I THINK IN CELEBRATION OF
75 YEARS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR
PROFESSION AS A WHOLE AND REMIND
OURSELVES HOW IMPORTANT THE
SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION OF
DENTISTRY IS, AS WELL AS IT
BEING DEVELOPED AS A HEALTHCARE
AND A CARING PROFESSION, AND WE
ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT DENTISTRY
IS A VERY TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN
PROFESSION, SO YOU SEE THAT IN
SOME OF THE HISTORY.
I WAS THRILLED THAT FRANCIS
ACKNOWLEDGED THE FLUORIDATION
STUDIES THAT TOOK PLACE IN
MICHIGAN AND THAT GRAND RAPIDS
WAS THE FIRST CITY IN THE UNITED
STATES TO HAVE FLUORIDE IN ITS
PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM, AND I THINK
THAT THAT HAPPENED IN 1945 AND
THE NIDCR WAS FOUNDED IN 1948.
I TAKE THAT AS ASSOCIATION AS
MICHIGAN BEING DIRECTLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FOUNDING OF
THE NIDCR.
AND THAT'S MY STORY.
[LAUGHTER
[LAUGHTER]
BUT IT REALLY, STILL TO THIS
DAY, IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE
TOP PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES KNOWN
TO MANKIND, AND I THINK AS A
PROFESSION, WE CAN TAKE GREAT
PRIDE IN THAT.
SO THIS WAS -- IT'S JUST TO KIND
OF SET THE STAGE, AND THIS YOUNG
MAN WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE MY
FATHER GRADUATED FROM DENTAL
SCHOOL -- OR WAS IN DENTAL
SCHOOL WHEN THE NIDCR WAS
FOUNDED.
HE GRADUATED IN 1950.
AND I DON'T HAVE TO EMPHASIZE TO
YOU THAT THE PRACTICE OF
DENTISTRY HAS CHANGED
DRAMATICALLY SINCE THAT TIME,
AND THE QUESTION IS, WHAT WILL
IT BE LIKE TOMORROW.
AND WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE SOME
OF THE TIME IN BETWEEN YESTERDAY
AND TOMORROW.
I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY BASED ON
WHAT YOU HEARD FROM LARRY AND
FRANCIS AND JUST OUR JOINT
KNOWLEDGE THAT OUR PROFESSION IS
IN A PERIOD OF REAL REVOLUTION
FROM A TECHNOLOGICAL STANDPOINT,
AS WELL AS FROM A SCIENTIFIC
STANDPOINT, BOTH IN THE
DEVELOPMENT, THE EE M EMERGENCEF
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, 3D
PRINTING, AND YOU HEARD LARRY
EMPHASIZE AND I WILL AS WELL,
DATA SCIENCE.
I HAD THE GREAT FORTUNE TO BE
INVOLVED IN ORAL HEALTH IN
AMERICA, AND I WOULD JUST SAY
KUDOS TO NIDCR FOR ITS FORESIGHT
IN BRINGING THIS TO FRUITION, AS
WE KNOW IT WAS REALLY A
FOLLOW-UP OF THE SURGEON
GENERAL'S REPORT IN THE YEAR
2000, AND LOOKED AT THE
COMPARISON OVER 20 YEARS.
I HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO
MARTHA SOMERMAN WHO HAD THE
INSIGHT TO SAY THAT WE NEED A
SECTION ENTIRELY DEVOTED TO
SCIENCE, WHICH WAS NOT AS WELL
ATTENDED TO IN THE SURGEON
GENERAL'S REPORT, AND THEN
OBVIOUSLY LARRY AND RENA FOR
CARRYING THROUGH ON THAT AND
BRINGING THIS TO FRUITION.
THIS IS THE CALL TO ACTION FROM
THIS SECTION 6 THAT I HAD THE
GREAT FOOR T FORTUNE TO BE INVO,
AND I THINK IT'S JUST SO
CRITICAL AND SUCH AN IMPORTANT
MESSAGE, AND THAT IS ABOUT THE
TRAINING AND SUPPORT OF OUR
FUTURE WORKFORCE.
AND YOU'LL HEAR ME TOUCH ON THIS
MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE NEXT -- IN
THE NEXT 30 -- 29 MINUTES OR
WHATEVER, 24.
I HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT THE
FOUNDATIONAL SCIENCES.
THE SCIENCE IS ABSOLUTELY
FOUNDATIONAL TO THE CLINICAL
WORK THAT WE DO, AND I KNOW NIH
AND NIDCR IS SO RESPECTFUL AND
THOUGHTFUL AND INVESTS IN THE
FOUNDATIONAL SCIENCES THAT SOME
PEOPLE SEE AS PERHAPS A BIT FAR
AWAY FROM CLINICAL WORK, BUT AS
WE NO IS SO ESSENTIAL AND
CRITICAL.
THE WORK IN OMICS IN SINGLE CELL
TECHNOLOGIES THAT FRANCIS
MENTIONED AND I'LL JUST
HIGHLIGHT THAT THE DATA THAT IS
SHOWN THERE IS WORK FROM MY
LABORATORY, WHICH I DO HAVE THE
GREAT FORTUNE TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO
ARE CARRYING IT FORWARD WITH ME
IN THE SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME THAT
I HAVE TO DEVOTE.
WE HEARD ABOUT THE MICROBIOME,
AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT
INFLAMMATION, THE WORK ON
INFLAMMATION WORLDWIDE IS SO
MUCH BUILT ON WORK THAT HAS BEEN
DONE THROUGH NIDCR.
VIROLOGY AS WELL, AND WE CAN'T
OVEREMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE WORK OF VIROLOGY IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES THAT WE
NOW KNOW AND ENJOY.
THE ORAL MICROBIOME, WHICH HAS
BEEN A CRITICAL PART OF NIDCR'S
PORTFOLIO FOR PROBABLY ITS
ENTIRE 75 YEARS, AND AS WE KNOW,
IT'S EVOLVING.
YOU HEARD FRANCIS TALK ABOUT THE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH SYSTEMIC
DISEASE.
WE'VE KNOWN THESE ASSOCIATIONS
FOR A LONG TIME.
WE ARE NOW BEING ABLE TO
ACTUALLY DEPLOY MORE ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGIES IN MACHINE LEARNING
TO REALLY START TO DISCERN AND
GET AT THE CAUSATIVE NATURE
VERSUS ASSOCIATIVE NATURE FOR
THESE CONDITIONS, AND TO BE ABLE
TO DEPLOY EXTREMELY SENSITIVE
MEASURES TO BE ABLE TO PREVENT
DISEASE BEFORE IT GETS TO A
POINT WHERE IT'S DEBILITATING.
SO THE FIELDS OF OMICS GOING
ACROSS GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS,
METABOLOMICS, AND THESE NOW ALL
COALESCING TO MULTI-OMICS AND
HIGHLIGHTING, AGAIN, NOT ONLY
THE REALLY IMPORTANT FUNDAMENTAL
DISCOVERIES, BUT NOW THE HUGE
DATASETS THAT WE ARE APPROACHING
AND BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH, AND
I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO DATA
SCIENCE AGAIN IN A LITTLE BIT, O
HIGHLIGHT THE WORK NIDCR HAS
DONE IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE.
THIS IS TRADITIONALLY KNOWN AS
BIOMATERIALS, NANOTECHNOLOGY,
BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS,
PERIODONTAL, REGENERATIVE
MEDICINE HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO SO
MANY FIELDS OF STUDY, EVEN FAR
AFIELD OF DENTISTRY, AS WELL AS
STEM CELL BIOLOGY.
THIS HIGHLIGHTS WORK OF AN
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, ANNE DECKER
OF MICHIGAN, WHO NOT ONLY IS
LOOKING AT USING MATERIALS TO
REGENERATE, BUT REALLY CAPTURING
THE UNDERLYING FUNDAMENTALS OF
THE HOST IMMUNE -- UNDERLYING
HOST IMMUNE SYSTEM AND ITS
ABILITY TO SUPPORT REGENERATION,
A CRITICAL COMPONENT IN
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE.
THE REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
RESOURCE CENTER THAT HAS BEEN
SUPPORTED BY NIDCR AT MICHIGAN,
WHICH SPANS MICHIGAN, PITTSBURGH
AND THE VICE INSTITUTE LED BY
DAVE KOHN AT MICHIGAN HAS HAD
ALREADY INITIAL IMPACT IN
SHOWING HOW DISCOVERY IN
ACADEMIA CAN HELP DISBAND THIS
WHAT IS CALLED THE VALLEY OF
DEATH TO START TO REALLY MOVE
SOME THERAPIES FORWARD TO FDA
APPROVAL.
AGAIN, KUDOS TO MARTHA SOMERMAN
FOR LAUNCHING THIS AND FOR RENA
TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS TO
ACTUALLY MOVE TO CLINICAL
REALITY.
I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU FROM
DAVE KOHN'S PERSPECTIVE THE
FUTURE OF REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
AND THAT IS IN IDENTIFYING THESE
COMPLEX PATTERNS IN THE TISSUES,
THE UNDERLYING HOST IMMUNE
RESPONSE, HOW THIS CAN
INCORPORATE WITH INFORMATION IN
THE MOST APPROPRIATE
BIOMATERIALS TO ULTIMATELY
RESULT IN A MORE EFFECTIVE
REGENERATION PROFILE.
THIS CONCEPT OF REGENERATIVE
MEDICINE PARTNERS VERY WELL WITH
THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WE
HAVE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE.
WORK BY MARCOUX BOTTINO AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IN
TISSUE-SPECIFIC SCAFFOLDS
DESIGNED, AND AGAIN OPTIMIZING
THE UNDERLYING BIOLOGY WITH THE
BIOMATERIALS TO EVOKE A CLINICAL
RESULT.
THIS IN PARTNERED WITH THE WIDE
VARIETY OF GENETICS GENOMICS
PRECISION-BASED MEDICINE, LIGHT,
LLASER IMAGING TECHNOLOGIES,
DIGITAL DENTISTRY, WHICH IS NOW
REALLY CONSIDERED STANDARD OF
CARE IN MOST PRACTICES, 3D
PRINTING, AND THE DEVELOPMENT
AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF KEEMO
THERAPEUTICS AND/OR DRUGS FOR
THE TREATMENT OF DENTAL
DISEASES.
WHEN YOU PARTNER THIS
FOUNDATIONAL SCIENCE WITH THE
CLINICAL DEPLOYMENT OF DATA,
WHICH WE KNOW AS OUR ELECTRONIC
HEALTH RECORDS, AND THIS IS AN
IMAGE FROM ORAL HEALTH IN
AMERICA, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A
HUGE AMOUNT OF DATA THAT WAS
STARTED PRIMARILY JUST FOR
BILLING PATIENTS, BUT CAN BE
HARNESSED TO CAPTURE IMPROVED
CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS, AND
THERE'S SO MUCH EFFORT AND WORK
AND OPPORTUNITY IN THIS SPACE.
THIS PARTNERS WITH THE CONCEPT
OF LEARNING HEALTH SYSTEMS,
WHICH WAS FIRST DESCRIBED WITH
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE
WORK HERE IN D.C. , AND HAS BEEN
SHEPHERD ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
CHUCK FREELD M FRIEDMAN, THE CHF
HEALTH LEARNING SCIENCES IS A
HUGE ADVOCATE FOR THIS WORK.
YOU CAN SEE THIS CYCLE FOLLOWS
WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY IS A FAIRLY
TRADITIONAL ASPECT OF LOOKING AT
A HEALTH PROBLEM OF INTEREST,
CAPTURING THE DATA, ANALYZING
THE DATA, INTERPRETING RESULTS,
BUT TYPICALLY HERE IS WHERE
SCIENTISTS THEN SIMPLY PUBLISH
THEIR PAPERS, BUT IN THIS
LEARNING HEALTH SYSTEM, THIS IS
NOT A TERMINAL ASPECT OF THE
CYCLE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY
CRITICAL TO TAKE THIS KNOWLEDGE
TO PERFORMANCE WITH
IMPLEMENTATION AND TAKING ACTION
TO COMPLETE THIS CYCLE SO THAT
THE DATA CAN ACTUALLY BE APPLIED
AND USED TO IMPROVE HUMAN
HEALTH.
THAT LEADS TO US HAVING A HUGE
AMOUNT OF DATA, AS FRANCIS
MENTIONED, AND THIS GRAPH FROM
THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM SHOWS.
THIS IS DATA ACROSS ALL SECTORS,
NOT JUST HEALTH.
BUT WE'RE NOW IN A PERIOD WHERE
WE'VE BEEN CAPTURING DATA FOR
YEARS AND YEARS AND IT'S TIME
FOR US TO FIND THE BEST
STRATEGIES TO ASSEMBLE IT,
INTERPRET IT, AND APPLY TO
EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION-MAKING
IN HEALTHCARE.
SO NOW WE'RE AT A POINT OF
REFINING OUR ABILITY TO PROCESS
AND UTILIZE DATA.
AND I'LL JUST SAY A PLEA IS THAT
WE NEED AS A PROFESSION TO BE
ABLE TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS TO
HAVE THE BASIC SKILLS OF HOW TO
ANALYZE, INTERPRET, AND DEPLOY
DATA.
AND I THINK WE COULD DO MUCH
BETTER AND I'M SAYING THIS FROM
AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION, IT'S AN
AREA THAT WE NEED TO INVEST MORE
IN.
WHEN WE START TO LOOK AT THE
IMPACT OF DATA IN OUR CLINICAL
SETTINGS, THE TERM DATA
DENTISTRY HAS ALREADY BEEN
COINED AND YOU CAN LOOK AT A
WIDE VARIETY OF PLACES IN A
CLINICAL WORKFLOW WHERE DATA CAN
BE ASSEMBLED, COLLECTED, AND
UTILIZED TO FURTHER IMPROVE
PATIENT CARE.
I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT ON THE LOWER
RIGHT CORNER THE WEARABLES THAT
YOU SEE IDENTIFIED THERE.
I THINK THIS IS AN AREA WITH
HUGE POTENTIAL AND I'LL JUST
SHARE WITH YOU ONE STUDY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN BY KEN
KOZLOFF WHO SHOWED IN THE
CONTEXT OF STUDENT WELL-BEING
AND MENTAL HEALTH, HE'S ABLE TO
TRACK OVER ACADEMIC TERM THE
PHYSIOLOGIC ASPECTS THAT MAY BE
PREDICTORS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE
AT HIGHER RISK FOR MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES.
SO THE -- REALLY THE QUESTIONS
ARE ENDLESS AND THE
OPPORTUNITIES ARE HUGE.
MACHINE LEARNING AND DATA
ANALYTICS HAVE ALREADY BEEN
DEPLOYED FOR DENTAL IMAGE
ANALYSES, FOR MULTIMODAL DATA
ANALYSES, FOR PREDICTING RISKS,
DIAGNOSES AND PROGRESS KNOW
PROGRESS PROGNOSE SE., FORTRACK.
THIS IS AN APPROACH USED BY PAUL
JENSEN WHO IS A PROFESSOR IN
BIOENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN ALSO SUPPORTED BY
NIDCR WHERE HE HAS DEVELOPED A
MACHINE LEARNING APPROACH TO
LOOKING AT THE NUTRIENTS THAT A
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
MICROORGANISMS, IN HIS CASE,
MANY OF WHICH ARE ORAL
MICROORGANISMS, IN THE EXACT
COMBINATIONS OF NUTRIENTS AND
METABOLITES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR
A VARIETY OF MICROORGANISMS TO
GROW.
AND THESE ARE EXPERIMENTS THAT
HE CAN DO IN HOURS, WHICH WE --
WHICH WOULD PREVIOUSLY TAKE
YEARS TO COMPLETE.
WORK FROM LUCIA SEVADONES AT
MICHIGAN, GWENDY EMPLOYING DATA
TO REALLY START TO IDENTIFY RISK
FACTORS AND INTERACTIONS WITH
TMJ OSTEOARTHRITIS LOOKING AT
HUGE NUMBERS OF DATASETS, IN
THIS CASE, 92 PATIENTS, HALF OF
WHICH HAVE TMJ OSTEOARTHRITIS,
AND USING MICHIGAN -- OR MACHINE
LEARNING ALGORITHMS TO DETECT
EARLY MARKERS OF DISEASE.
AGAIN, IDENTIFYING PATIENTS AT
RISK BEFORE THEY HAVE THE
DETRIMENTAL ASPECTS OF THESE
CONDITIONS.
THERE'S BEEN EMERGENCE OF
COMPANIES NOW THAT ARE STARTING
TO LATCH ON TO THESE APPROACHES.
ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE A.I.
DENTAL, WHICH HAS BOTH DESIGN
FOR REMOVAL OF PARTIAL DENTURES
AND FOR PERIODONTAL
APPLICATIONS.
THE RPDs, BASICALLY ALL YOU
NEED TO DO IS GO IN AND SHOW
WHICH TEETH ARE MISSING AND IT
WILL IMMEDIATELY DESIGN AN RPD
FOR YOU.
YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, REMOVAL OF
PARTIAL DENTURES MAYBE ARE NOT
THE STANDARD OF CARE ANYMORE,
BUT THERE ARE -- THEIR OTHER
MODULE IS OF PERIODONTAL
DISEASE, AND SIMPLY PUTTING IN A
PERIODONTAL CHART OF PROBING
DEPTHS AND ATTACHMENT LEVELS,
AND IT WILL IMMEDIATELY DESIGN A
TREATMENT PLAN FOR YOU.
SO THESE ARE TOOLS THAT WILL BE
USED BY CLINICIANS.
YOU ALSO SEE WORK FROM OVERJET
AT DIAGNOSING PERIODONTAL
DISEASE AND CARIES IMAGES, AND
AGAIN, THESE ARE TECHNIQUES THAT
ARE RAPIDLY EVOLVING AND HAVE
HUGE DATASETS BEHIND THEM.
THIS TAPS INTO WORK IN PRECISION
HEALTH, AS FRANCIS MENTIONED,
AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE
IMPORTANCE IN PRECISION HEALTH
OF THIS BEING NOT SINGULAR
INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE EXPLORING
A WIDE VARIETY OF FIELDS, BUT
THAT THE WORK IS MORE
EFFECTIVELY DONE WHEN YOU HAVE
INVESTIGATORS ACROSS THESE MANY
FIELDS AS YOU'VE HEARD BY THE
TWO FORMER SPEAKERS, OUR
PRECISION HEALTH EFFORT AT
MICHIGAN INCLUDES 15 SCHOOLS AND
COLLEGES IN INSTITUTES ACROSS
OUR CAMPUS, AND I WOULD JUST SAY
OUR CAMPUS BENEFITS FROM BEING A
LARGE COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY, WHERE A DENTAL
SCHOOL IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT
OF THE CAMPUS.
THIS HIGHLIGHTS TEAM SCIENCE.
I LOVE LARRY'S GRAPH OF THE
CITATIONS OF TEAM SCIENCE.
THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE.
LEO LEI IS FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN STUDYING HEAD AND
NECK CANCER.
THIS HIGHLIGHTS HOW IMPORTANT
INTERDISCIPLINARITY IS AND HOW
CRITICAL IT IS FOR US TO
PARTNER.
HE HAS COLLEAGUES, YOU SEE THE
LIST OF AUTHORS HERE, FROM FOUR
DIFFERENT FIELDS: DENTISTRY,
MEDICINE, ENGINEERING AND
PHARMACY.
AND FROM FIVE DIFFERENT
EDUCATION FALL INSTITUTIONS.
THIS IS TEAM SCIENCE, AND THIS
IS HOW WE HAVE TO, I THINK,
THINK IN THE FUTURE HOW WE CAN
MOVE OUR WORK TO A HIGHER LEVEL.
I'LL FINISH BY TALKING ABOUT
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AS
I SEE THEM, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT
SOME DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
AND THE FIRST, BEING RESPONSIBLE
FOR BUDGETARY AFFAIRS ON MY
CAMPUS, I HAVE TO NOTE THE COST
OF SCIENCE.
THE COST OF DOING SCIENCE AND
THE COST OF EDUCATION HAS
INCREASED DRAMATICALLY,
ESPECIALLY POST PANDEMIC.
OUR WORKFORCE COSTS HAVE
INCREASED, THE INCREASE OF
SUPPLIES, METHODS AND MATERIALS
HAS ALSO INCREASED DRAMATICALLY.
COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY ISSUES
HAVE ALSO INCREASED DRAMATIC
DRAMATICALLY.
I'M NOT HERE AT ALL TO SAY
THEY'RE NOT VALUABLE.
THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT
THINGS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
DEPLOY SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND
REALLY MEANINGFUL RESEARCH.
BUT THERE'S COSTS INVOLVED, AND
THEY'RE NOT JUST FINANCIAL
COSTS.
THEY'RE COSTS OF TIME TAKEN FROM
INVESTIGATORS, FROM THEIR
CREATIVE TIME TO HAVE TO BE
SPENT ON ISSUES AROUND
REGULATORY AFFAIRS.
WORKFORCE AND AGAIN I'M GOING TO
TALK ABOUT THAT BOTH AS A
CHALLENGE AND AN OPPORTUNITY, AS
A CHAL ECK, IT'S JUST EXCITING,
THE NEXT GENERATION TO WANT TO
JOIN US IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE
DOING, AND I THINK WE COULD DO
BETTER THERE.
GENERATIVE A.I.
JUST THE LAST SIX MONTHS IN OUR
WORLD IN GENERATIVE A.I., AND I
KNOW I DON'T HAVE TO TELL THOSE
OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE, IF I ASK
FOR A RAISE OF HANDS, PROBABLY
90% OF YOU WOULD SAY THAT YOU'VE
BEEN ON CHATGPT OR CHATGPT 4.
I MEAN, IT HAS REALLY
DRAMATICALLY CHANGED OUR WORLD.
DENTISTRY AN IN THE LARGER
LANDSCAPE.
DENTISTRY AS A PROFESSION
OFTENTIMES SILOS ITSELF.
WHEN YOU CONSIDER HOW IMPORTANT
DISCIPLINARITY IS AND TEAM
SCIENCE IS, IT'S NOT GOING TO
CUT IT IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE TO BE COLLABORATIVE TO
BE ABLE TO DEPLOY THE BEST
SCIENCE.
WHAT ARE THE METRICS FOR
SUCCESS?
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ON OUR
CAMPUS WE ASK OURSELVES AGAIN
AND AGAIN.
IS IT EXPENDITURES FOR RESEARCH?
THIS IS ONE OF THE METRICS THAT
IS TRACKED.
IS IT CITATION INDEX?
IS IT H FACTOR?
WHAT ARE THE THINGS, YOU KNOW,
HERE WE ARE AS SCIENTISTS, WE
WANT TO HAVE METRICS TO SHOW
THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY SUCCESSFUL,
AND I WOULD 16 TREUR TO SAY THAT
WE COULD SAY IT'S CLINICAL
IMPACT AND EVEN THAT SOMETIMES
IS DIFFICULT TO MEASURE.
AND THEN ARE WE SUPPORTING
HEALTH FOR ALL?
WE OFTEN, IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
TECHNOLOGIES, THESE TECHNOLOGIES
MAY FAVOR CERTAIN POPULATIONS
AND THEY MAY BE MORE AVAILABLE
TO PEOPLE WITH A HIGHER
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.
WE HAVE TO THINK VERY CAREFULLY
ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE
MOST CARE, AND THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE NOT BEING SERVED, AND ARE
OUR TECHNOLOGIES BEING DEPLOYED
TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THEM FOR
BETTER HEALTH?
WE NEED TO THINK ACROSS THE
ENTIRE LIFESPAN HOW WE'RE
FOCUSED ON AN AGING POPULATION,
AND BEING ABLE TO DEPLOY OUR
ABILITY TO DELIVER HEALTH TO
ALL.
SO IN THE AREA OF CHALLENGES,
FROM AN ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE,
THE RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE HAS
HUGE COSTS.
THE CORES THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR
FACULTY, WHICH WE KNOW HELPS
THEM BE MORE EFFECTIVE, CONTINUE
TO INCREASE IN THE EXPENSES IN A
UNIVERSITY.
WE ARE, AS A UNIVERSITY, QUITE
DEDICATED TO THE GENERATION OF
NEW KNOWLEDGE, AND WE ARE
INCREDIBLY APPRECIATIVE TO
SUPPORT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH IN
BEING ABLE TO DO THIS.
AND YOU CAN SEE JUST SOME OF THE
STATISTICS FROM OUR CAMPUS AND
OUR REALLY UNDYING COMMITMENT TO
PARTNER WITH NIH AND TO FURTHER
THE SCIENCE TO IMPROVE HUMAN
HEALTHMHEALTH.
SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT DENTISTRY
AND ONE OF THE METRICS THAT'S
USED, WHICH IS RESEARCH
EXPENDITURE, YOU CAN SEE THE PIE
CHART FOR OUR CAMPUS OF RESEARCH
EXPENDITURES, AND SOMETIMES MY
COLLEAGUES SAY, ISN'T THAT
GREAT?
DENTISTRY IS ON THE PIE CHART?
BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY -- BUT
SERIOUSLY, NOT EVERYBODY ON OUR
CAMPUS IS ON THIS PIE CHART.
YOU COULD ALSO LOOK AT IT AS
WHAT WOULD A 2% CUT LOOK LIKE?
AND FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT,
A 2% CUT ISN'T MUCH, AND IT JUST
FURTHER EMPHASIZES THAT TO ME,
OUR IMPACT GOES FAR BEYOND
EXPENDITURES, AND IT SHOULD BE
HOW WE'RE PARTNERING ACROSS
DISCIPLINES, AND IN OUR CASE,
ACROSS OUR CAMPUS.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT -- YOU KNOW,
I MENTIONED THE FOUNDATIONAL
SCIENCES.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE
CLINICAL WORK THAT WE DO AND THE
WORK THAT'S SUPPORTED BY NIH.
THIS IS NOT ALL OF THE
INVESTIGATORS, BUT THESE ARE
JUST FIVE INVESTIGATORS THAT
I'VE HIGHLIGHTED FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF
DENTISTRY.
LUCIA CEVIDANES, AN
ORTHODONTIST, I'VE MENTIONED HER
WORK IN TMJ AND SHE IS JUST A
PHENOMENAL INVESTIGATOR.
DARNELL KAIGLER, WHO HAS
SPEARHEADED REGENERATIVE
MEDICINE WITH A VERY DIRECT
CLINICAL APPLICATION IN
PERIODONTAL DISEASE.
ALEX DASILVA, STUDYING PAIN,
NEUROIMAGING AND BRINGING
NEUROIMAGING TECHNIQUES INTO
CLINICAL USE.
MARGHERITA FONTANA, STUDYING
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARIES, A REALLY
CLINICAL AND LARGE SCALE BASIS,
AND ALBERT CHAN, WHO IS ACTUALLY
A CLINICAL FACULTY MEMBER,
SUPPORTED BY NIH, FOR ULTRASOUND
WORK AND BRINGING IT AS A
DIAGNOSTIC INTO PERIODONTAL
DISEASE.
I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT FOUR OUT
OF FIVE OF THESE INVESTIGATORS
WERE TRAINED IN DENTISTRY NOT IN
THE UNITED STATES.
AND I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS, OUR PARTNERSHIP
WITH BRINGING COLLEAGUES FROM
OTHER COUNTRIES TO ADDRESS THE
HEALTH ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
SO OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK -- AND I'VE BEEN
ALLUDING TO MANY OF THESE
ALREADY, BUT IT'S LEVERAGING
PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS UNITS AND
INSTITUTES, AND EXPANDING BEYOND
WHAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER
TRADITIONAL BORDERS.
WE'RE FOCUSED A LOT ON OUR
CAMPUS AT INTEGRATING THE ARTS
AND SCIENCES AND THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE HUMANITIES AND ARTS IN
THE STUDIES, IN THE DEPLOYMENT
OF HUMAN HEALTH, AND YOU SAW
THAT IN LARRY'S DIAGRAM OF
CROSSING BORDERS.
I ALREADY MENTIONED GENERATIVE
A.I., AND ITS IMPACT, WHICH IS A
WORLD WE NEED TO GRAPPLE WITH
AND WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER ON
THE OPPORTUNITIES OF IT, THE
ETHICS AROUND IT, THE
CHALLENGES.
PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
THE FORD ROBOTICS BUILDING IS
ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT
EXAMPLES ON OUR CAMPUS OF A NEW
BUILDING THAT WAS BUILT FOR
ENGINEERING IN ROBOTICS AND HAS
FORD MOTOR COMPANY EMPLOYEES
CO-LOCALIZED IN THE BUILDING TO
FOSTER THIS RELATIONSHIP OF
TAKING NEW DISCOVERIES INTO THE
WORLD.
WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON ORAL
HEALTH.
THERE'S A MYRIAD OF MEDICATIONS
THAT PATIENT ARE TAKING IN
RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN CLIMATE
THAT HAVE EFFECTS IN THE ORAL
CAVITY.
AND I THINK THIS IS AN AREA
WHERE WE JUST HAVE REALLY NOT
EVEN HIT A FRACTION OF THE
POTENTIAL IMPACT.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT
OUT TO NIDCR FOR THE
PRACTICE-BASED RESEARCH
INTEGRATING MULTIDISCIPLINARY
EXPERIENCES IN DENTAL SCHOOLS.
NIDCR SUPPORTS SCIENCE TO
IMPROVE ORAL HEALTH.
AND I KNOW MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES
THINK IT SHOULD DIRECTLY SUPPORT
DENTAL SCHOOLS, AND IT DOES
SUPPORT DENTAL SCHOOLS, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, IT SUPPORTS ORAL
HEALTH.
AND DOING THAT THROUGH DENTAL
SCHOOLS, TO ME, IS REALLY AN
ADDED AND HUGE BENEFIT, AND THIS
PROGRAM, I THINK, HAS HUGE
OPPORTUNITY, NOT ONLY TO
ACCOMPLISH IMPROVED ORAL HEALTH,
BUT TO EDUCATE AND TRAIN AND
PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
FOR A WORKFORCE WHO, REGARDLESS
OF WHETHER THEY BECOME
SCIENTISTS, WILL BE MORE
SUPPORTIVE OF SCIENCE IN THE
PUBLIC, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT RENA
IS GOING TO BRING FORWARD WITH
PRIMED.
SYSTEM.
A WORD ABOUT DIVERSIFYING THE
WORKFORCE, AND YOU HEARD FRANCIS
MENTION THIS, YOU HEARD LARRY
MENTION THIS.
I'M SO PROUD TO SAY THAT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN JUST THIS
WEEK WAS AWARDED A M-P ACT
PROGRAM.
THIS IS THE NIH FIRST AWARD
FACULTY INSTITUTIONAL
RECRUITMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE
TRANSFORMATION.
THIS IS TO RECRUIT 30 JUNIOR
FACULTY, AND THE SCHOOL OF
DENTISTRY IS A PARTICIPATING
MEMBER OF THIS.
THIS IS FUNDED BY THE NIH COMMON
FUND, AND I HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT THIS OVERALL PROJECT IS
$79 MILLION, OF WHICH
$16 MILLION IS FROM THE NIH.
THAT MEANS 80% OF THIS IS FUNDED
BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN,
BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT 20% FROM
NIH IS SO CRITICAL BECAUSE IT
LEVERAGES THE BRAND, THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE NIH IN THIS
WORK, AND WE REALLY ARE
APPRECIATIVE OF THAT
PARTNERSHIP.
I'LL JUST FINISH BY SAYING THIS
IS THE WORKFORCE FROM WHEN THE
NIDCR WAS ESTABLISHED.
AND I DON'T HAVE TO CONVINCE YOU
THAT THE WORKFORCE HAS CHANGED
DRAMATICALLY.
WE NEED TO CHANGE, WE NEED TO BE
ABLE TO ADDRESS AND FOCUS ON THE
FUTURE WORKFORCE AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL JUST AGAIN
SAY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, AND I'D
LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THIS WORK BY
RICK GIODOTI, WHO IF YOU ARE NOT
FAMILIAR WITH HIS WORK ON
POSITIVE EXPOSURES, HIGHLIGHTS
THE BEAUTY OF DIVERSITY, AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF ALL OF US TO
SUPPORT THE ENTIRE DIVERSITY OF
INDIVIDUALS THAT WE SERVE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, AND
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>THAT WAS AWESOME, WASN'T IT?
[APPLAUSE]
THANK YOU SO MUCH, LAURIE, FOR
SHARING FINDINGS, FOR SHARING
OPPORTUNITIES, FOR HIGHLIGHTING
CHALLENGES.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A GREAT DEAL
OF WORK FOR ALL OF US TO MOVE
THINGS FORWARD, AND TO ENSURE
ORAL HEALTH FOR ALL.
AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A
DIVERSITY OF GROUPS AND
ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS AS WE
PARTNER AND COLLABORATE.
THAT'S THE RESOUNDING THEME AS
PART OF OUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVE
HERE.
I AM SO HAPPY THAT WE HAVE KEY
STAKEHOLDERS HERE, WE HAVE OUR
FEDERAL PARTNERS AND OUR OTHER
KEY STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS,
AND WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM
THOSE LEADERS RIGHT NOW.
WE WILL HEAR FROM EDUCATORS,
WE'LL HEAR FROM CLINICIANS,
WE'LL HEAR FROM RESEARCHERS,
WE'LL HEAR FROM LEADERSHIP
THAT'S FOCUSED ON PROVIDING CARE
TO DIVERSE POPULATIONS.
ALL OF THESE GROUPS ARE CRITICAL
TO SUPPORTING THE NIDCR MISSION,
AND LOOK, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO SOLVE ORAL HEALTH FOR
ALL UNLESS WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
SO I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT WE WILL
HAVE THE AMERICAN DENTAL
EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
REPRESENTED, THE AMERICAN DENTAL
ASSOCIATION, THE AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL AND ORAL
AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH, AND
THE DIVERSE DENTAL SOCIETY.
WE'LL FIRST START -- I'D FIRST
LIKE TO INVITE DR. GEORGE
SHEPLEY, PRESIDENT OF THE
AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION, TO
START US OFF.
AND TO THANK ALL OF THESE GROUPS
FOR BEING SO INSTRUMENTAL IN
SUPPORTING THE MISSION AND
VISION OF NIDCR OVER THE YEARS.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>WELL, THANK YOU FOR INVITING
ME HERE.
GOOD MORNING AND GREETINGS FROM
THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION!
I'M DR. GEORGE SHEPLEY.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE
AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION.
AND IT'S MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR
TO JOIN YOU HERE TODAY AT
TODAY'S SYMPOSIUM AS WE KICK
THIS OFF.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I'VE JUST
GOT TO SAY, THIS IS AWESOME,
WHAT I HEARD HERE TODAY.
IT'S AWESOME, IT'S OVERWHELMING,
AND IT'S INSPIRING.
AND I HEARD EARLIER TODAY
CONVERSATION ABOUT
COMMUNICATION, AND WHAT I WISH
IS THAT ALL THE DENTISTS IN
AMERICA COULD HEAR WHAT I'M
HEARING HERE TODAY.
SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU
ALL FOR THAT.
IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
[APPLAUSE]
ON BEHALF OF THE 159,000
COLLEAGUES AT THE ADA, IT'S AN
HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND
COMMEMORATE THIS INSTITUTION'S
EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS AND
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELD OF
DENTISTRY, AND TO JUST IMAGINE
THE HORIZONS OF WHAT DENTISTRY
CAN BE IN THE FUTURE.
OVER THE PAST 7 1/2 DECADES,
YOU'VE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN
ADVANCING OUR KNOWLEDGE IN ORAL
HEALTH, AND REALLY DRIVING
DENTISTRY FORWARD.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE
DISCOVERY STEMMING FROM YOUR
RESEARCH HAS REDUCED THE BURDEN
OF ORAL DISEASE, IT'S LED TO
BETTER ORAL HEALTH FOR TENS OF
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, AND IT'S
DOCUMENTED THE IMPORTANT
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORAL AND
SYSTEMIC HEALTH.
NOT ONLY HAVE YOU PLAYED A
PIVOTAL ROLE IN SHAPING
EVIDENCE-BASED GUIDELINES THAT
IMPROVE PATIENT CARE, BUT YOU'VE
DEMONSTRATED A REMARKABLE
ABILITY TO TRANSLATE RESEARCH
INTO MEANINGFUL OUTCOMES.
FOR MITIGATING DISPARITIES IN
ORAL HEALTH, TO ADVANCING THE
USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN DENTAL
PRACTICE.
YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE ALSO
EXTENDED FAR BEYOND THE
LABORATORY WALLS.
YOUR DEDICATION OF TRAINING THE
NEXT GENERATION OF DENTAL
RESEARCHERS REMAINS OUR FIELD
REMAINS AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF
SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY.
SO IMPORTANT TO BRING THE NEXT
GENERATION ALONG.
YOU HAVE ALSO FOSTERS THE GROWTH
OF COUNTLESS SCIENTISTS,
CLINICIANS AND A HOST OF OTHER
DENTAL PROFESSIONALS, WHO
CONTINUE TO THE FOREFRONT AND TO
BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THESE
GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH, CUTTING
EDGE DISCOVERIES, AND INNOVATIVE
SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE TRANSFORMED
THE LANDSCAPE OF THE PROFESSION.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU
DO.
AND AS WE CELEBRATE, I'D LIKE TO
COMMEMORATE THE RELATIONSHIP
THAT NIDCR HAS WITH THE ADA,
WITH THE ADA OVER THE YEARS.
WE'VE BUILT A VIBRANT ECOSYSTEM.
IT NURTURES -- THAT WE'VE
NURTURED INOWE VARI INNOVATION,E
PROGRESS, AND WE ULTIMATELY
IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH AND THE
WELL-BEING OF OUR NATION.
AND AS A SCIENCE-BASED
ORGANIZATION, ADA HAS A VESTED
INTEREST IN ENSURING THAT
FEDERAL RESEARCH AGENCIES LIKE
NIDCR ARE WELL-FUNDED, THAT THE
RESEARCH INVESTMENTS REFLECT THE
NEEDS OF THE DENTAL PROFESSION,
AND THAT THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED,
ADVANCES THE ORAL HEALTH OF THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC.
THE WORK YOU DO HAS ADD VNSED
THESE GOALS AND IS TRULY
IMPORTANT TO PRACTICING DENTISTS
EVERY DAY AND TO THE PATIENTS
THAT WE SERVE.
AND AS WE CONTINUE OUR
PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER, LET'S
IMAGINE THE NEW POSSIBILITIES
THAT WE COLLABORATE WHEN WE GO
FORWARD.
WE'RE LIVING AND WORKING AT A
TIME THAT ONLY EXISTED AT ONE
TIME IN OUR IMAGINATIONS.
THTHE DENTAL PROFESSION CONTINUS
TO EVOLVE BEYOND WHAT MANY OF US
COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED.
I'M JUST THINKING I TRAINED IN A
TIME WHERE MY INSTRUCTOR SMOKED
RIGHT IN THE CLINIC.
SO WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.
WE'VE WEATHERED PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISES LIKE COVID-19.
A TIME WHEN THE DEFENSE AGAINST
THE VIRUS WERE THE RESULTS OF
DECADES OF CAREFUL AND STRATEGIC
PLANNING BY THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
THE PANDEMIC ALSO HELPED US
SOLIDIFY THAT WE'VE KNOWN TO BE
TRUE, THE UNDENIABLE IMPORTANCE
OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING CHANGES IN THE
DENTAL LANDSCAPE.
IN THE BUSINESS, AND THE
PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY.
IT'S CHANGING DRAMATICALLY FROM
NEW PRACTICE MODALITIES,
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS, TO
CHANGING PROFESSIONAL NEEDS,
DIFFERENT CONSUMER ASPECTS.
DIFFERENT DIVERSITY IN OUR
POPULATION.
BUT IF YOU'VE WORK THED IN
DENTISTRY LONG ENOUGH, YOU KNOW
THAT CHANGE IS CONSTANT, AND
THAT DESPITE THE CHANGE, WHETHER
AMID PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES OR
CHANGES IN THE MARKET, OUR
PROFESSION WILL CONTINUE TO
EVOLVE.
AND THROUGH IT ALL, WE'VE
LEARNED, WE'VE GROWN AND WE'VE
ADAPTED.
WE CONTINUE TO GO FROM STRENGTH
TO STRENGTH.
SOME THINGS ABOUT THIS -- AND AS
WE CHANGE, WE KNOW SOME THINGS
NEVER REALLY CHANGE.
WHETHER WE'RE CLINICIANS,
EDUCATORS, RESEARCHER, STUDENTS,
LEADERS, WE ALL MEET ON THAT
COMMON GROUND OF HELPING EACH
OTHER SUCCEED IN ADVANCING THE
HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC.
OUR STEADY AND COLLECTIVE
PURPOSE IS WHAT KEEPS US STRONG
IN THIS NEW DAY.
AND AS WE CONFRONT THE NEW
CHALLENGES AND THE EMERGING
TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATIONS, WE
MUST HAVE SCIENCE, ALL OF YOU,
TO GUIDE US THROUGH THAT.
IN FACT, THE NIDCR'S 2021 REPORT
ON ORAL HEALTH STANDS AS A
SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN
ACHIEVE WHEN WE PLACE SCIENCE
AND PUBLIC HEALTH AT THE
FOREFRONT OF OUR PRIORITIES.
IT'S A VERY EXCITING TIME IN
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL
ADVANCEMENT.
OUR FUTURE IS RICH WITH PROMISE
AND POSSIBILITY.
AND EVERYBODY HERE HAS A FINGER
ON WHAT THAT POSSIBILITY IS
BECOMING.
IT IS A FUTURE WHERE WE'RE
SPARKING MEANINGFUL CHANGE
THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE ADVOC
ADVOCACY.
NOW IS WHEN WE NEED TO SPEAK,
WITH A UNITED VOICE.
ON BEHALF OF THE PROFESSION AND
FOR THE GOOD OF THE PUBLIC.
IT'S A FUTURE WHERE WE ELEVATE
DENTISTRY AND AFFIRM ITS ROLE AS
A VITAL PART OF OVERALL HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING, WHERE WE TAKE A
STAND ON THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT
ORAL AND SYSTEMIC HEALTH.
WHERE WE SET THE GLOBAL STANDARD
FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ORALLY
HEALTHY.
AND WHERE WE COLLABORATE WITH
OUR MEDICAL COLLEAGUES, AS
CHAMPIONS OF OPTIMAL HEALTH.
ULTIMATELY, THE ADA'S FUTURE AND
THAT OF OUR ENTIRE PROFESSION IS
ONE THAT IS DRIVEN BY ONE SIMPLE
MISSION: WE MAKE PEOPLE HEAL
HEALTHY.
IT'S A FUTURE WE ENVISION, A
FUTURE WE'RE CREATING, AND A
FUTURE WE HOPE TO BUILD WITH
YOU, AS SOME OF THE BEST AND THE
BRIGHTEST IN OUR PROFESSION.
SO THANK YOU, NIDCR, FOR SERVING
AS A BEACON OF EXCELLENCE, AND
HELPING TO TRANSFORM THE
LANDSCAPE OF ORAL HEALTH IN THE
21ST CENTURY.
YOU ARE TAKING WHAT YOU LEARN
AND MAKING US ALL STRONGER IN
THE PURSUIT OF OPTIMAL HEALTH
FOR ALL.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE COUNTLESS
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DEDICATED
THEIR CAREERS TO DENTAL
RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND
CLINICAL PRACTICE.
IT'S YOUR PASSION, YOUR
EXPERTISE, AND YOUR TIRELESS
PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE THAT HAVE
PROPELLED THIS PROFESSION
FORWARD.
AND AS WE CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY
TOGETHER, KNOW THAT WE STAND
WITH YOU, ADA STANDS WITH YOU AS
A PARTNER IN YOUR PURPOSE, AND
IT COMMITTED TO WORKING
ALONGSIDE YOU FOR A HEALTHIER
FUTURE FOR ALL OF US.
SO LET'S UNLOCK NEW INSIGHTS,
ILLUMINATE NEW FRONTIERS OF
DISCOVERY, AND ENSURE THAT ORAL
HEALTH IS NOT ONLY A PRIORITY,
BUT AN ESSENTIAL PILLAR OF
OVERALL WELL-BEING.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS
MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY, AND MAY
THE NEXT 75 YEARS BE FILLED WITH
EVEN GREATER ACHIEVEMENTS,
ADVANCEMENTS AND COLLABORATION
ON BEHALF OF OUR PROFESSION, OUR
PATIENTS, AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF
YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
THIS JUST IS SO INSPIRING.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN MOTIVATED AND
INSPIRED BY PEOPLE THAT ARE
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE LIVES
OF OTHERS.
AND YOU ALL DO IT, YOU'RE THE
BEST.
I JUST WISH ALL OUR DENTAL
COMMUNITY KNEW EVERYTHING THAT
I'VE HEARD TIER TODAY.
SO -- HEARD HERE TODAY.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO
MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>>THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT WAS A VERY INSPIRING TALK.
I'D LIKE TO NOW INVITE
DR. CHRISTOPHER FOX, THE CEO OF
THE AMERICAN DENTAL -- THE
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR DENTAL,
ORAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH,
TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
[APPLAUSE]
>>THANK YOU, DR. WEBSTER
CYRIAQUE.
I'VE BEEN CHALLENGED WITH
HIGHLIGHTING WHAT NIDCR HAS
MEANT TO IADR AND AMERICAN
DIVISION OVER THESE LAST
75 YEARS.
WE JUST CELEBRATED OUR
CENTENNIAL A FEW YEARS AGO.
SO IADR HAS A MISSION TO DRIVE
DENTAL, ORAL AND CRANIOFACIAL
RESEARCH FOR HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING WORLDWIDE, IN A
VISION OF ORAL HEALTH FOR THE
WORLD THROUGH DISCOVERY AND
DISSEMINATION.
WE HAVE A VALUE STATEMENT WHICH
IS THE SAME FOR BOTH AADOCR AND
IADR CENTERED AROUND SCIENTIFIC
EXCELLENCE, SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY, AND SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITY.
OUR ASSOCIATION'S VALUES,
SCIENCE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF
RIGOR TO CLINICAL IMPLEMENTATION
AND GLOBAL POPULATION HEALTH.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PURSUIT
OF SCIENCE TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING FOR ALL PEOPLE AND TO
REDUCE HEALTH INEQUALITIES AND
INEQUITIES AND PROACTIVELY TAKE
ACTIONS AND POSITIONS TO IMPROVE
HEALTH.
AND SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, WE'RE
ALL ABOUT A DIVERSE AND
INCLUSIVE SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE,
PROMOTING WORK-LIFE BALANCE,
SUPPORTING EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY
AND MENTORING NETWORKS TO
DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF
SCIENTISTS.
YOU HAVE SEEN THIS SLIDE
COUNTLESS TIMES.
THIS IS PRESIDENT TRUMAN SIGNING
INTO LAW THE NATIONAL DENTAL
RESEARCH ACT, 75 YEARS AND THREE
DAYS AGO.
AND SOMETIMES THIS SLIDE IS
CROPPED AND YOU DON'T SEE THE
GENTLEMAN ON THE RIGHT BUT
THAT'S H. TRENLEY DEAN.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE
CONNECTIONS OVER THE YEARS.
SO THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF NIDR
WAS H. TRENLEY DEAN AND HE WAS
OUR PRESIDENT A FEW YEARS
BEFORE.
YOU'LL NOTICE A TREND HERE.
THE SECOND NIDR DIRECTOR WAS DR.
HE WAS IADR PRESIDENT '53 TO
5/04.
THE THIRD WAS SEE MORE
CRECHEOVER, HE WAS IADR
PRESIDENT FROM '62 TO '63.
DAVID B. SCOTT WAS NIDR DIRECTOR
FROM 76 TO 81 AND IADR PRESIDENT
75 TO 76.
DR. HAROLD LOWE, NIDR DIRECTOR,
83 TO 94, AND HE WAS NIDR
PRESIDENT A FEW YEARS BEFORE
THAT.
OTHER IMPORTANT LEADERS IN NIDR
WAS DR. MAUREEN NIGH LAND, THE
FIRST FEMALE INTERIM DIRECTOR IN
1977, THEN SHE LATER WENT ON TO
BECOME IADR PRESIDENT, 81 TO
82 AND AADR PRESIDENT BEFORE
THAT, 79 TO 80.
A FEW YEARS BEFORE HE BECAME
DIRECTOR, HE WAS AADR PRESIDENT
FROM 93 TO 94.
DR. TABAK IS THE ONE THAT GOT
AWAY.
[LAUGHTER]
HE WAS ELECTED AADR TREASURER IN
2000 BUT THEN TOOK THE JOB OF
NADR DIRECTOR BUT THEN HAD TO
STEP DOWN SO WE DID NOT BENEFIT
FROM THE WISDOM OF DR. TABAK.
AFTER DR. TABAK WAS
DR. SOMERMAN, NIDCR DIRECTOR
FROM 2011 TO 2019 AND AADR
PRESIDENT FROM 2001 TO 2002.
AND DR. RENA D'SOUZA --
[APPLAUSE]
-- OUR CURRENT DIRECTOR WAS
AADR PRESIDENT FROM 2012, IADR
PRESIDENT, AND DR. WEBSTER
CYRIAQUE IS OUR CURRENT
PRESIDENT.
SO WE ALSO CONNECT THROUGH
INCLUSIVITY.
IN 1998 UNDER SLAVKIN'S
LEADERSHIP THEY EXPANDED TO
BECOME THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF
DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL
RESEARCH.
WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A PRETTY
GOOD IDEA, IN 2021 WE EXPANDED
THE NAME OF AADR TO BE AADOCR TO
REALLY EXPRESS THE INCLUSIVITY
OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE TYPE OF
SCIENCE THEY WERE DOING IN THE
DEDENTAL, ORAL AND CRANIOFASCIAL
SPACES.
PARTNERING THROUGH SCIENCE, IF
YOU LOOK AT THE NIDCR WEBSITE
AND THEIR DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL
RESEARCH, THEY'VE GOT THREE
BRANCHES AND ONE CENTER.
IN THE DIVISION OF INTRAMURAL
RESEARCH WITH FIVE MAIN STUDY
AREAS, QUITE ALIGNED WITH OUR
NOW 35 SCIENTIFIC GROUPS AND
NETWORKS WITHIN IADR AND THAT'S
A LIST OF THEM IN FRONT OF YOU.
WE ALSO CONNECT STRATEGICALLY
THROUGH CHARTING THE FUTURE.
AADOCR CONSISTENTLY RESPONDS TO
THE NUMEROUS NIDCR REQUESTS FOR
INFORMATION ON VARIED FRONTS.
DURING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING
PROCESS, WE INPUT INTO THAT,
CRAFTING STRATEGIC INITIATIVES,
NOVEL RESEARCH INITIATIVES AND
MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES, SHARING
MECHANISMS TO AUGMENT TRAINING
AND SUSTAIN PROGRESS, AND
DESIGNING EFFORTS TO REDUCE AND
PREVENT HEALTH DISPARITIES AND
IMPORTANTLY TO INCREASE THE
DIVERSITY OF THE SCIENTIFIC
WORKFORCE.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO WHAT IS
RAPIDLY BECOMING OUR FLAGSHIP
PROGRAM WITH NIDCR FUNDED BY THE
NIDCR AS A U AGREEMENT, OUR
AADOCR MINE THE FUTURE PROGRAM,
WHICH IS MENTORING AN INCLUSIVE
NETWORK FOR A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
FOR THE FUTURE.
WE ALSO PARTNER THROUGH
LEVERAGING WORKFORCE.
WE HAD OUR AAODCR CANADIAN
MEETING IN PORTLAND, OREGON AND
NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE IN NEW
ORLEANS.
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF NIDCR
ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE AT
OUR MEETINGS, INCLUDING KICKING
OFF THIS 75TH CELEBRATION IN
PORTLAND, AND WE'LL HAVE A
WRAP-UP IN NEW ORLEANS.
BUT TRAINEE RESEARCH
PRESENTATIONS WHICH IS ALWAYS A
HIGHLIGHT OF OUR MEETINGS,
HAND-ON WORKSHOPS, INTERACTIVE
TALK SESSIONS AND SYMPOSIA,
MENTORING AND NETWORKING
LUNCHES, AND ASSOCIATION AND
AFFILIATE MEETINGS.
AND IMPORTANTLY, IT GIVES OUR
MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET
WITH THE PROGRAM OFFICERS OF
NIDCR, WHO ARE OFTEN IN
ATTENDANCE AT OUR MEETINGS.
AND A LOT OF STUDENTS ARE
ATTENDING OUR MEETINGS ALSO THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE INTO
SCIENTIFIC CAREERS.
SO ABOUT 25% OF OUR MEETINGS ARE
DENTAL STUDENTS, DENTAL
STUDENTS, RESIDENTS AND
POSTDOCS, SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR STUDENTS INVOLVED IN
RESEARCH, PLEASE COME TO OUR
MEETINGS.
ADVOCACY, WE ADVOCATE FOR NIH
AND NIDCR.
WE'VE GOT OUR DIRECTOR OF
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IN THE
AUDIENCE, WHERE WE CORRESPOND
WITH CONGRESS, WE HAVE ADVOCACY
DAY ON THE HILL, WE HAVE THAT AT
THE END OF MARCH WITH OUR
COLLEAGUES, APPROPRIATION
REQUEST, CONGRESSIONAL
TESTIMONY, DR. D'SOUZA, WHEN SHE
WAS AADR PRESIDENT ABOUT A
DECADE AGO, SHE GAVE SOME
FANTASTIC TESTIMONY ON BEHALF OF
NIDCR AND REALLY QUITE ENGAGED
THE CHAIR OF APPROPRIATIONS IN
THAT TESTIMONY.
PARTICIPATING IN COALITIONS AND
WE HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH
NIDCR ALL ABOUT HOW WE CAN
IMPROVE DENTAL, ORAL AND
CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH AND
ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OUR
COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A FEW PATIENT ADVOCATES
IN THE AUDIENCE.
IT GREAT THAT WE ALSO HAVE AS
PART OF AADOCR THE FRIENDS OF
NIDCR AND IT'S A VERY BROAD
BASED COALITION.
OUR CURRENT PATIENT ADVOCACY
COUNCIL IS COMPRISED OF 39
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS
REPRESENTING DISEASES AND
CONDITIONS WITH A DENTAL, ORAL
OR CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH
COMPONENT AND SUPPORT THE WORK
OF NIDCR.
AND WHEN YOU'RE UP ON THE HILL
AND YOU CAN BRING A PATIENT
ADVOCATE AND PAIR THAT WITH A
RESEARCHER, THAT'S A REALLY
IMPACTFUL MESSAGE ON THE HILL
AND REALLY A DIFFERENT STORY
THAN WHEN IT'S JUST RESEARCHER
SO WE REALLY DO RELY AND ARE AN
IMPORTANT PART OF NIDCR.
OUR CONCLUDING SLIDE WHERE WE'RE
CONNECTING OVER THE NEXT 75 WHY
OUR ORGANIZATIONS WILL ENDEAVOR
TO CONTINUALLY CONNECT AND
PARTNER WITH NIDCR TO
COLLABORATE ON THE MISSION,
VISION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
WITHIN ITS FUTURE STRATEGIC
PLANS, WE WANT TO IDENTIFY WHERE
VALUE DRIVEN RESOURCES CAN YIELD
THE GREATEST IMPACT, WE WANT TO
CHAMPION SCIENCE AND DISSEMINATE
DATA THAT BREAKS DOWN
DISPARITIES, INEQUITIES IN
HEALTH, FUEL INNOVATION AND
BRING ABOUT A COALESCENCE IN
DENTAL, ORAL AND CRANIOFACIAL
RESEARCH, ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF
NIDCR FOR ADEQUATE AND
SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENTS IN
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AS WELL AS
INCREASED RESOURCES FOR DENTAL,
ORAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH,
AND IMPORTANTLY, SUPPORT, MENTOR
AND TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF
DIVERSE DENTAL, ORAL AND
CRANIOFACIAL SCHOLARS TO MEET
THE NEEDS AND ADDRESS GAPS
WITHIN DOC RESEARCH.
SO ON BEHALF OF MY IADR AND MY
AADOCR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I
CONGRATULATE NIDCR ON 75 YEARS
AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEX NEX
75.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>THANK YOU, DR. FOX, FOR A
WONDERFUL OVERVIEW.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM DR. KAREN
WEST, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AND
CEO OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL
EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.
[APPLAUSE]
>>HELLO.
I AM REALLY HONORED TO JOIN YOU
TODAY AS NIDCR RECOGNIZES
75 YEARS OF CELEBRATING THE PAST
AND CHARTING THE FUTURE OF ORAL,
DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL
RESEARCH.
THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONAL MOMENT IN
HEALTHCARE.
FROM ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY, TO CREATING AVENUES
FOR ACCESS TO CARE FOR
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, ABSENT
FROM THE CONVERSATION FOR
SEVERAL DECADES.
I APPLAUD THE WORK THAT NIDCR
HAS CHAMPIONED FOR 75 YEARS, TO
ADVANCE THE KNOWLEDGE OF DOC
HEALTH AND TRANSLATE THESE
FINDINGS INTO EARLY DETECTION,
PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT TO
IMPROVE OVERALL HEALTH ACROSS
THE LIFESPAN OF ALL.
SO THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME
HERE TODAY.
AND TO SHARE THE COLLABORATIVE
EFFORTS BETWEEN NIDCR AND THE
AMERICAN DENTAL EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION.
SO FIRST OF ALL, WHO ARE WE?
SO IT'S THE VOICE OF DENTAL
EDUCATION.
WE REPRESENT 65,000-PLUS ORAL
HEALTH FACULTY, STAFF,
ADMINISTRATORS, STUDENTS,
RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS.
THIS INCLUDES 15,000 INDIVIDUAL
MEMBERS, 800-PLUS ALLIED AND
ADVANCED DENTAL EDUCATION
PROGRAMS, AND 80-PLUS DENTAL
SCHOOLS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA.
NOW WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WE HAVE
WORKED WITH NIDCR OVER THE PAST
75 YEARS, WE HAVE VERY SIMILAR
MISSIONS.
OUR MISSION ALIGNS WITH THAT OF
NIDCR, WHICH STRIVES TO ADVANCE
KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE
ORAL HEALTH.
OUR MISSION IS TO LEAD AND
SUPPORT THE HEALTH PROFESSION'S
COMMUNITY IN PREPARING FUTURE
READY ORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, NIDCR AND ADEA
ARE LONG-STANDING COLLABORATORS
IN MULTIPLE REALMS, CONNECTED
THROUGH OUR MISSIONS, VISIONS
AND GOALS, WHICH MAKE MULTIPLE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR BENEFICIAL
PARTNERSHIPS IN THE FUTURE.
AS MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ADVOCATE
ON CAPITOL HILL FOR DENTAL
RESEARCH AND ORAL HEALTH
WORKFORCE ISSUES.
WE HAVE AN ADEA PHASE TO
LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH
STRESSES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
ADVOCACY TO ORAL HEALTH
EDUCATION.
AND WHICH CULMINATES IN VISITING
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FOR
INCREASED FUNDING FOR NIDCR AND
TITLE 7 ORAL HEALTH TRAINING
PROGRAMS.
ADEA IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF
FRIENDS OF NIDCR, THE ADVOCACY
COALITION.
44% OF NIDCR BUDGET IS ASSIGNED
TO DENTAL SCHOOLS, AND WHICH
HELPS EARLY INVESTIGATORS, MANY
OF WHOM ARE TEACHING FACULTY AND
ADEA MEMBERS.
BOTH INSTITUTIONS, BOTH
ASSOCIATIONS, BASICALLY SUPPORT
THE SAME PEOPLE.
WE DISSEMINATE SCIENTIFIC
LITERATURE THROUGH THE JOURNAL
OF DENTAL EDUCATION, WHICH
CONTRIBUTES TO EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH, PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, RESEARCH
INTEGRATION, AND EVIDENCE-BASED
PRACTICE.
WE ADVANCE THE QUALITY OF
EDUCATION IN THE DENTAL
PROFESSION, ENSURING THAT ORAL
HEALTH EDUCATORS ARE EQUIPPED
WITH THE LATEST KNOWLEDGE.
WE WIDELY PROMOTE NIDCR TRAINING
GRANTS TO OUR MEMBERS.
AND WE HAVE THE AD ESM A
CHAPTERS FOR STUDENTS, RESIDENTS
AND FELLOWS, AND WE ENCOURAGE
OUR STUDENTS TO GET INVOLVED
WITH ACADEMIC CAREERS.
AND I'M GOING OFF SCRIPT HERE
FOR A BIT, BUT I'VE HEARD TODAY
ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE WHO ARE
HERE.
WE ARE RESEARCHERS, WE ARE
EDUCATORS, WE ARE CLINICIANS.
BUT ALL IN ALL W DO WE COME
FROM?
WE COME FROM A DENTAL SCHOOL
THAT HAS TO PROVIDE ALL THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO THEY CAN MAKE CHOICES, SO
THEY CAN LEARN HOW TO BE AN
EDUCATOR, A RESEARCHER, A
CLINICIAN.
SO I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME WORK
TO DO THERE, AND WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER ON THIS.
BECAUSE IN ORDER TO DO THAT AND
PROVIDE A STUDENT WITH THESE
OPPORTUNITIES, WE HAVE TO HAVE
TIME TO DO SO.
SO THERE IS OVERCROWDING IN THE
CURRICULUM, BUT AS WE LOOK TO
THE FUTURE, WE SEE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR NEW MODELS FOR EDUCATION,
THAT WE HAVE TO EMBRACE, AND WE
HAVE TO SEARCH FOR, AND WE HAVE
TO FIND THE TIME THAT WE CAN --
SORRY -- GRADUATE A STUDENT WHO
IS PRACTICE-READY, WHO IS
RESEARCH-READY, WHO IS
EDUCATION-READY, WHO IS
COMMUNITY-BASED ACCESS TO CARE,
PUBLIC HEALTH-READY.
SO WE HAVE --
[APPLAUSE]
-- A HUGE, HUGE CHALLENGE AHEAD
OF US.
SO I WENT OFF SCRIPT THERE AND I
APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
BUT OTHER FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES,
I THINK WE CAN COLLABORATE TO
ELIMINATE ORAL HEALTH
DISPARITIES, WE CAN RECRUIT AND
SUPPORT OUR RESEARCH FACULTY WE
HAVE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE, AND
WE CAN CREATE AN INCLUSIVE AND
EQUITABLE ORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE,
AS HAS BEEN TALKED AT TODAY,
WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND WE CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR
MISSION-APPROPRIATE RESEARCH,
AND EXPLORE WAYS THAT ALL OF
ADEA'S MEMBER INSTITUTIONS CAN
PARTICIPATE IN
MISSION-APPROPRIATE RESEARCH.
WE HAVE NEW DENTAL SCHOOLS
COMING ON BOARD.
THEY WILL HAVE DIFFERENT
MISSIONS.
THEY WILL HAVE DIFFERENT VISIONS
FROM THE REST OF US.
SO WE HAVE TO APPROACH THAT WITH
AN OPEN MIND, AND A THOUGHT
PROCESS THAT ALLOWS US TO THINK
ABOUT HOW WE CAN ENGAGE ALL OF
OUR MEMBERS AND ALL OF OUR
INSTITUTIONS.
SO I THINK THESE AND OTHER YET
REALIZED OPPORTUNITIES CALL UPON
US TO HAVE MULTIFACETED
UNDERSTANDING OF RESEARCH, ONE
THAT ENCOMPASSES BASIC SCIENCE,
CLINICAL SCIENCE, TRANSLATIONAL,
EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC HEALTH
RESEARCH.
SO IN CLOSING, I HOPE TODAY THAT
YOU HAVE OBSERVED HOW OUR TWO
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PAVED THE WAY
TOGETHER TO ADVANCE ORAL HEALTH
EDUCATION AND THE OVERALL HEALTH
OF OUR SHARED COMMUNITY.
AS A STRATEGIC PARTNER, ADEA
CELEBRATES THIS MILESTONE WITH
YOU, AND WE LOOK 75TH BIRTHDAY.
I BRING GREETINGS FROM THE
HISPANIC DENTAL ASSOCIATION AND
THE DIVERSE DENTAL SOCIETY.
TODAY WE ARE HERE NOT ONLY TO
CELEBRATE PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AND HARD WORK, BUT TO CHART THE
FUTURE OF DENTAL, ORAL, AND
CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH.
IN 2021, THE HISPANIC DENTAL
ASSOCIATION UNDER MY TENURE AS
PRESIDENT STARTED A STRONG
RELATIONSHIP WITH NIDCR UNDER
THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. RENA
D'SOUZA.
WE STARTED RESEARCH INITIATIVES
AS PART OF THE HISPANIC DENTAL
ASSOCIATION'S STRATEGIC PLAN
FOCUSING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF
DEVELOPING QUALITATIVE AND
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH FOR OUR
MINORITY POPULATIONS AND
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
SINCE 2021, THE HDA RESEARCH
TEAM HAS PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL
TRAININGS WITHIN THE RESEARCH
TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS THROUGH NIH AND NIDCR
TO BECOME COMPETENT AND READY TO
APPLY FOR VARIOUS AVAILABLE
GRANTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FOCUSED
ON MINORITY POPULATIONS,
SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS,
DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC
PUBLICATIONS AND PARTICIPATION
IN NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS.
THE EMPOWERMENT AND SUPPORT
RECEIVED BY THE NIDCR HAS
ENCOURAGED THE HDA RESEARCH TEAM
AND THE DIVERSE DENTAL SOCIETY
TO DEVELOP THE FIRST NATIONAL
ORAL HEALTH STUDY OF U.S.
HISPANICS.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CARE
QUEST INSTITUTE.
THIS DATA PUBLISHED RECENTLY IN
OUR BRAND NEW SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL
PROVIDES THE FIRST NATIONAL
OVERVIEW OF THE ORAL HEALTH
STATUS DENTAL WORKFORCE, DENTAL
EDUCATION, AND DENTAL
UTILIZATION BY HISPANICS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
WE WERE INVITED TO THE IADR
MEETING THIS PAST WEEK, WHERE
THIS DATA WAS PRESENTED.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT A
MINORITY DENTAL ORGANIZATION HAS
BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT AND PRESENT
AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL LEVELA
RATHER COMPREHENSIVE ORAL HEALTH
STUDY ON ITS POPULATIONS.
WE FEEL SO PROUD OF OUR RESULTS
AND CURRENTLY OUR HDA RESEARCH
TEAM IS PRESENTING THESE
IMPORTANT RESULTS IN DIFFERENT
NATIONAL MEETINGS.
THE ORAL HEALTH CONFERENCE, THE
HDA ANNUAL MEETING, THE AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION OF ORAL AND
CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH, THE
SPECIAL CARE DENTISTRY
ASSOCIATION, AND AS I MENTIONED
PREVIOUSLY, WE HAD THE HONOR TO
PRESENT AT THE IADR IN COLOMBIA.
OUR HDA RESEARCH TEAM WILL
ATTEND THE UPCOMING AMERICAN
DENTAL ASSOCIATION SMILE CON
MEETING, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
HEALTH ASSOCIATION MEETING, AND
NEXT YEAR, THE AMERICAN DENTAL
ASSOCIATION ADEA ANNUAL MEETING
IN NEW ORLEANS.
AT ADEA, WE WILL CONTINUE
SHARING THE RESULTS OF OUR
NATIONAL RESEARCH AND SECONDARY
DATA ANALYSIS STUDY.
BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
NIDCR IS NOT ONLY ABOUT
RESEARCH, IT'S ALSO ABOUT MAKING
AN IMPACT ABOUT OPENING DOORS.
OUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE ENGAGING
IN THE NEW GENERATIONS OF
HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED,
RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DOCTORAL
STUDENTS AND GRADUATES TO BE
PART OF THE MINORITY WORKFORCE
WITHIN NIH AND NIDCR.
I WILL DO LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, I'M
GOING TO GO OFF SCRIPT.
GIVE US A CHANCE.
PEOPLE OPENED DOORS FOR ME.
I AM HUMBLED TO BE HERE IN FRONT
OF ALL OF YOU.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY
HUMBLING, SOMEONE GAVE ME AN
OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M SITTING
HERE -- OOPS, SORRY -- WITH
AMAZING PEOPLE, AND IT'S BECAUSE
SOMEONE OPENED MY DOOR, AND I
KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, AND YOU OPEN
DOORS FOR ME.
SO ANYWAY, EVERY TIME WE
IDENTIFY A TALENT THAT MATCHES
WITH DIFFERENT INTERNSHIPS OR
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS OFFERED
BY THE NIDCR, WE ENHANCE
DIVERSITY IN DENTAL, ORAL, AND
CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROMOTE ALL
OF THIS NIDCR AND NIH
OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN OUR DIVERSE
ORGANIZATIONS.
WE KNOW THAT RESEARCH TEAMS WITH
MEMBERS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS
ARE MORE LIKELY TO GENERATE
INNOVATIVE IDEAS THAT TEAMS THAT
ARE MADE UP FROM MEMBERS FROM
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
DIVERSITY BUILDS EDUCATIONAL
EXCELLENCE.
HDA AGREES THAT RECRUITING
SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS WHO
HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND
LIFE EXPERIENCES WILL INCREASE
RESEARCH ON OUR MINORITY
POPULATIONS AND PROVIDE POLICY
CHANGES AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN
UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.
THANK YOU, NIDCR, FOR YOUR
COMMITMENT TO OUR
UNDERREPRESENTED, AND BELOVED
COMMUNITIES.
AND FUTURE RESEARCHERS.
THE HISPANIC DENTAL ASSOCIATION
IS TRULY HONORED FOR THIS
INVITATION TO CELEBRATE THIS
ANNIVERSARY.
ALWAYS COUNT ON US TO CONTINUE
ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF NIDCR,
INCREASING DENTAL RESEARCH IN
DIFFERENT FIELDS, AND ATTRACTING
AND RETAINING PEOPLE FROM
UNDERREPRESENTED, RACIAL, AND
ETHNIC GROUPS.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND
PEOPLE FROM ECONOMICALLY AND
EDUCATIONALLY DISADVANTAGED
BACKGROUNDS.
THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF
MORE 75 WONDERFUL YEARS OF
COLLABORATION.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, THANK YOU, THANK
YOU!
>>THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR
PARTNERS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
FUTURE COLLABORATIONS.
WE WILL NOW TAKE A 15-MINUTE
BREAK AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM
OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS AND ASK OUR
FEDERAL PARTNERS TO COME BACK
5 MINUTES EARLY.
THANK YOU ALL.
SEE YOU IN A FEW MINUTES.
[APPLAUSE]
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE
THAT WERE GOING TO SPIN OFF FOR
DIFFERENT SCHEDULING CONFLICTS,
SO I WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE THIS
AFTERNOON, WE WILL BE
ACKNOWLEDGING OUR STAFF, AND IT
INDEED TAKES A VILLAGE.
GETTING THIS EVENT TOGETHER
ITSELF TOOK A CONSIDERABLE
EFFORT FROM DARRELL KESSLER,
LISA MARLICK, NICOLE AND HER
TEAM, CATHERINE EVANS, ALL OF
YOU UP THERE, LILLIAN SHUM, WHO
TOOK ON THE ORGANIZATION, AND
THROUGH THE YEAR, THE GUIDANCE
OF THE ORGANIZING OR THE
PLANNING COMMITTEE, I SEE
DR. KLEINMAN HERE, AMONGST MANY
OTHERS WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO
MAKE THIS A MEANINGFUL,
IMPACTFUL CELEBRATION OF OUR
75TH AND PROJECTION FOR THE NEXT
75 YEARS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FROM ME.
[APPLAUSE]
AND THE REST OF NIDCR.
AND I DO WANT TO DO SOMETHING
THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE EARLIER,
WHICH IS TO PRESENT DR. MCCAULEY
A PLAQUE OF RECOGNITION FROM US
FOR TAKING THE TIME IN YOUR BUSY
SCHEDULE TO GRACE THE OCCASION.
THANK YOU, LAURIE.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE.
AND WE ARE SO FORTUNATE AND
REALLY LUCKY TODAY TO HAVE WITH
US FOUR OF OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS
FOR A FIRE SIDE -- NO FIRE PIT
HERE, BUT WE'LL CALL IT A
FIRESIDE CHAT, OKAY?
SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEM
NOW.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND WHEN I
CALL YOUR NAME.
FROM THIS SIDE OF THE STAGE, WE
HAVE REAR ADMIRAL MICHAEL
WINDSOR JOHNSON.
HE IS THE CHIEF DENTAL OFFICER
FOR THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH
SERVICE.
NEXT TO HIM, WE HAVE MR. CASEY
HANNAN, DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION
OF ORAL HEALTH AT THE CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
PREVENTION.
[APPLAUSE]
NEXT TO MR. HANNAN, WE HAVE
DR. NATALIA CHALMERS, THE CHIEF
DENTAL OFFICER AT THE CENTERS
FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID
SERVICES.
[APPLAUSE]
AND AN ALUMNI OF NIDCR.
AND FINALLY, LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
WE HAVE DR. SRINIVAS NANDU
NANDKUMAR, DIRECTOR OF THE
DIVISION OF DENTAL AND ENT
DEVICES AT THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION.
[APPLAUSE]
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
WE REALLY VERY MUCH APPRECIATE
IT, AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING
FROM BRIEF REMARKS THAT YOU'LL
EACH PROVIDE.
WE'LL START WITH DR. JOHNSON.
>>GOOD MORNING.
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM
DR. KESSLER, WHO STATED IN THE
EMAIL THAT INVITED ME TO SPEAK,
AND SHE INTIMATED IN THE EMAIL
THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A FIRESIDE
CHAT.
AS WAS SHARED EARLIER, I'M THE
NATIONAL CHIEF DENTIST FOR THE
DENTAL CATEGORY, U.S. PUBLIC
HEALTH SERVICE, AND THIS IS MY
FIRST FORUM THAT I'M SPEAKING
TO, SO WHEN I READ IN THE EMAIL
IT WAS A FIRESIDE CHAT, I
THOUGHT, OKAY, SO THAT'S A NICE
WAY TO GET MY FEET WET, SMALL,
INTIMATE GROUP.
>>THIS IS A SMALL -- THERE'S
FOUR OF US UP HERE, FIVE IF YOU
COUNT ME.
>>LOOKING AROUND, THIS IS NOT
MY DEFINITION OF A FIRESIDE
CHAT.
[LAUGHTER]
>>KEEP YOUR VIEW LOCAL.
KEEP YOUR VIEW LOCAL.
>>ONE OF THE TASKS OR OUTLINES
IN THAT EMAIL WAS TO SHARE WITH
ALL OF YOU THE RELATIONSHIP WITH
COMMISSION CORPS AND NIDCR.
AS WEIGH SHARED WITH A NUMBER OF
THE SPEAKERS AND AS WELL AS THE
SLIDE, THE FIRST DENTAL DIRECTOR
WAS H.10LY DEAN, WHO WAS A
COMMISSION CORPS OFFICER.
HE WAS THE FIRST DIRECTOR IN
1948, WHEN THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF DENTAL RESEARCH WAS
ESTABLISHED.
HIS NAME IS ALSO FAMILIAR
BECAUSE HE HAD AN INTEREST IN
THE EFFECTS OF FLUORIDE ON
TEETH, AND THROUGH HIS TENURE,
DURING HIS TENURE, THE
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEYS WERE
INSTITUTED FOR FLUORIDE, SO IN
1950, THE PHS, COMMISSION CORPS
OFFICERS, ENDORSED FLUORIDATING
COMMUNITY WATER.
SO FAST FORWARD TO 2000, THE
FIRST EVER REPORT ON ORAL HEALTH
WAS PUBLISHED BY THE SURGEON
GENERAL, AND THEN JUST RECENTLY,
ANOTHER PUBLICATION THAT WAS
PUBLISHED WAS THE ORAL HEALTH IN
AMERICA.
WHICH COMMISSION CORE OFFICERS
WERE NOT ONLY INVOLVED WITH
FACILITATING, BUT THEY WERE ALSO
CONTRIBUTORS AS AUTHORS.
I'M ALSO THE CHIEF DENTIST OF
THE NATIONAL FEDERAL PRISONS.
AND OUR MISSION AS DENTAL CORPS
ALLIANCE WITH NIDCR IN THAT WE
WANT TO INCREASE ACCESS TO ORAL
HEALTH FOR FULL NECIAL VULNERABS
AND TO ADVANCE ORAL HEALTH IN
AMERICA.
SO I'M JUST VERY HONORED TO BE
HERE TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU
BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS LIKE
COMING HOME, BECAUSE I DID MY
PUBLIC HEALTH RESIDENCY AT
NIDCR.
SO I APPRECIATE --
[APPLAUSE]
-- HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO
COME BACK IN THIS CAPACITY AND
HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU, ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING
THE COMMISSION CORPS OR WHAT OUR
INITIATIVES ARE OR HOW WE CAN
CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH
NIDCR.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>THANK YOU!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT
IN THIS SMALL, INTIMATE
DISCUSSION.
[LAUGHTER]
MR. HANNAN.
>>HI.
GOOD MORNING, AND I BRING
GREETINGS FROM THE CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE INVITED.
DR. D'SOUZA, THANK YOU FOR THIS,
AND THANK YOU NOT ONLY TO
PARTICIPATE, BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE
SOME REMARKS ABOUT THE CURRENT,
PAST AND WHAT MIGHT HOLD FOR US
IN THE FUTURE OF OUR
COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR TWO
AGENCIES.
IT'S ALSO GREAT TO BE JOINED ON
THIS FIRESIDE CHAT WITH VERY
FAMILIAR FACES.
MANY OF US HAVE WORKED FOR YEARS
ON THE PHS ORAL HEALTH
COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE
REPRESENTED ON THAT, AND MANY OF
US ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP ON
THOSE CALLS.
AND IMPORTANTLY, NIDCR IS A PART
OF THAT LEVEL OF COLLABORATION,
AND THEN DECADES OF
COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIT
FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE OFFICE OF
ORAL HEALTH AND NOW THE DIVISION
OF ORAL HEALTH AT CDC.
WE'VE HAD -- WE'VE ENJOYED A
RICH HISTORY AND PRODUCTIVE
HISTORY OF LEVELS OF
COOPERATION, COORDINATION AND
COLLABORATION, AND WE'VE
CONNECTED RECENTLY ON ISSUES
RELATED TO PANDEMICS, GLOBALLY,
TRYING TO ENSURE SAFE VISITS FOR
EVERYBODY RECEIVING SOME SORT OF
DENTAL CARE TO ISSUES RELATED TO
AMALGAM, WHAT'S THE FEDERAL
AGENCY POSITION ON THAT, TO
ISSUES OF SCIENCE AND
IMPLEMENTATION ON COMMUNITY
WATER FLUORIDATION, AND A BUNCH
OF OTHER REALLY IMPORTANT ORAL
HEALTH TOPICS, I SHOULD SAY, SO
IT'S JUST FABULOUS TO BE HERE ON
A MOMENTOUS CELEBRATION AND WHAT
I HOPE IS AUSPICIOUS FOR THE
NEXT 75 YEARS.
CDC'S DIVISION OF ORAL HEALTH,
OUR MISSION HAS GOOD ALIGNMENT
AND COMPLEN TAIRT TO THE MISSION
OF NIDCR AND WE ARE ABOUT
PREVENTING AND CONTROLLING ORAL
DISEASES AND CONDITIONS BY
BUILDING KNOWLEDGE, TOOLS AND
NETWORKS THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY
BEHAVIORS AND EFFECTIVE PUBLIC
HEALTH PRACTICES AND PROGRAMS.
TO BOIL THAT ALL DOWN INTO A
SINGULAR PURPOSE, AND WE ALL
SHARE THIS ACROSS HHS, CHS, PHS,
NIDCR, IT'S REALLY ABOUT TAKING
A DIFFERENT CUT AT TRYING TO
ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN ORAL HEALTH
EQUITY FOR ALL.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE ALL
ABOUT BECAUSE THERE IS, AS THE
DATA WILL INDICATE IN THE ORAL
HEALTH IN AMERICA REPORT, MUCH
OF THE BURDEN OF ORAL DISEASE IS
STILL BY AND LARGE PREVENTABLE.
WHAT CAN WE BE DOING MOVING
FORWARD TO CARVE INTO THAT
PREVENTABLE BURDEN OF ORAL
DISEASE.
SO WHEN WE -- AND I HAD GREAT
FUN PREPARING FOR THIS BECAUSE I
WAS ABLE TO INTERVIEW CDC
DIVISION OF ORAL HEALTH ALUMNI,
FORMER DIRECTORS, I WANTED TO
MAKE SURE I CAPTURED AN ACCURATE
AND REFLICTED BACK TO YOU THE
COLLABORATION.
THERE WERE TWO BROAD OVERARCHING
THEMES THAT WE HAVE COMMON
POINTS OF INTEREST SUCH AS
PROMOTING SCIENCE, DEVELOPING
GUIDELINES, PROMOTING PREVENTION
AND HEALTH EQUITY TO OUR
RESPECTIVE AUDIENCES AND
STAKEHOLDERS, AND ALSO ON
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
OUR DENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH
RESIDENCY PROGRAMS.
AS I MENTIONED WE HAVE
COMPLEMENTARY ROLES.
NIDCR CONDUCTS AND FUNDS BASIC
SCIENCE AND RESEARCH, AND CDC
DIVISION OF ORAL HEALTH STUDIES
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
SCIENCE AND RESEARCH.
YOUR CLINICAL TRIALS FORM THE
BASIS OF OUR COMMUNITY TRIALS,
AND IN OTHER WORDS, YOUR SCIENCE
EMPHASIZES STUDYING EFFICACY,
AND OUR SCIENCE EMPHASIZES
STUDYING EFFECTIVENESS.
SO THOSE ARE THE BROAD
OVERARCHING THEMES.
SPECIFIC THEMES OVER THE LAST
FEW DECADES HAVE TO DO WITH
ADVANCING ORAL HEALTH EQUITY,
ALSO PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION AND
ORAL HEALTH SURVEILLANCE.
WE'VE BEEN PARTNERED OVER THE
YEARS WITH REGARD TO DATA
SHARING, ANALYSIS AND
PUBLICATION.
AND SECONDLY THE AREA -- SORRY
SECOND TO LAST, SUPPORTING
RESEARCH AGENDAS FOR THE
IMPROVEMENT OF ORAL HEALTH
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THEN
LASTLY, TRAINING AND SUPPORTING
DENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH RESIDENTS
THROUGH OUR RESPECTIVE RESIDENCY
PROGRAMS.
WE HAVE A RICH HISTORICAL
COLLABORATION.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER ALL OF
THIS.
MUCH OF THE HISTORY OF THIS WAS
LAID OUT EARLIER TODAY.
BUT WE APPRECIATE THE ROLE OF
NIDCR, THE BRAND, THE CACHE, YOU
CAN SAY, THE REPUTATION THAT IT
DRAWS NEEDED ATTENTION FOR THE
TOPICS WE ALL CARE ABOUT, UNLIKE
MANY CHRONIC CONDITIONS, ORAL
DISEASES PLACE THE GREATEST
BURDEN ON THE MOST MARGINALIZED
OF COMMUNITIES.
SO TO THAT END, WE'VE DONE A LOT
OF GOOD WORK DOCUMENTING BURDEN,
GETTING IT WRITTEN UP.
THAT HAS LED THE WAY FOR THE
COLLABORATION OF CDC AND NIH TO
BE PARTNERS IN THE HEALTHY
PEOPLE OBJECTIVES INITIATIVES
AND LAYING OUT A ROAD MAN FOR
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE
COLLECTIVELY IN 10-YEAR BLOCKS.
WE APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK OF
NIDCR AND NCI LEADING THE
EFFORTS TO TRACK ORAL CANCERS
AND THEIR MORTALITY AND
INCIDENCE, AND THEN INITIALLY
NIDR, WHEN THEY GOT STARTED, HAD
THE MOTION COMPREHENSIVE DATASET
RELATED TO THE EFFICACY, THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF FLUORIDE AS IT
RELATES TO ITS IMPACT THROUGH
COMMUNITY WATER FLUORIDATION.
WE'VE COLLABORATED ON THE ORAL
HEALTH IN AMERICA REPORT IN
2000, AND THEN AGAIN FOR THE
LATEST PUBLICATION BY NIDCR IN
2021.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS
THROUGH UNDERSTANDING THAT
EVERYBODY'S GOT A UNIQUE ROLE
AND THAT PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT IS
THE APPLICATION ARM, IF YOU
WILL, OF THE GOOD SCIENCE AND
RESEARCH THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE
HALLOWED GROUND HERE AT NIH.
SO WITH MY BRIEF AMOUNT OF TIME
LEFT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I TALK
ABOUT FUTURE COLLABORATION
OPPORTUNITIES.
WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN
NIDCR'S EFFORTS IN THE CONVENING
OF AN ORAL HEALTH DISPARITIES
AND HEALTH EQUITY RESEARCH OR A
THINK TANK, I SHOULD SAY, TO
IDENTIFY THE CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE AND
MAINTAIN ORAL HEALTH EQUITY.
THIS HAPPENS TO BE A STRATEGIC
PRIORITY ACROSS THE AGENCY FOR
ORAL HEALTH AT CDC, SO WE'RE
LOOKING FORWARD TO STAYING
CLOSELY CONNECTED TO THAT.
WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO DEPUTY
DIRECTOR WEBSTER-CYRIAQUE TO
HAVE ATTENDED AN EARLY MAY
MEETING AT CDC, WHERE WE'RE
TRYING TO DEVELOP A ROAD MAP
FOR -- A NATIONAL ROAD MAP FOR
MEDICAL-DENTAL INTEGRATION AND
ACHIEVING WHOLE PERSON
INTEGRATED CARE SUCH THAT IT'S
NOT JUST ONE ASPECT OF THE HUMAN
BODY OR THE HUMAN PERSON, BUT
HOLISTICALLY LOOKING AT THE
WHOLE PERSON.
WE BELIEVE THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SYNERGIZE AND
LEVERAGE NEW AND DEVELOPING
TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS NEW
MEASUREMENT METHODS FOR
CONDUCTING ORAL HEALTH
SURVEILLANCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, CAN ORAL EXAMS IN
THE FIELD WITH ROOT TECHNOLOGY
TAKE LESS TIME PER PARTICIPANT
BECAUSE OF THAT NEW METHODOLOGY
AND THE TECHNOLOGY, AND,
THEREFORE, SAVE COSTS BECAUSE OF
REDUCED TIME, OR INCREASE SAMPLE
SIZE TO GET MORE ROBUST STABLE
ESTIMATES OF ORAL DISEASES.
MOVING ALONG, FROM A MEETING
EARLIER THIS MONTH, WE HAD WITH
THE HHS ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
HEALTH, ADMIRAL LEVINE,
DR. D'SOUZA AND I RECOGNIZE THE
OPPORTUNITY AND BENEFITS OF
JOINTLY DEVELOPING A RESEARCH
AGENDA AROUND FLUORIDE AND WATER
FLUORIDATION.
LOOKING AT CLINICAL, COMMUNITY
AND POPULATION IMPACTS.
WE WOULD LOVE TO COLLABORATE ON
THIS RESEARCH AGENDA
DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS OTHERS,
AND THEN I JUST WANT TO ECHO DRG
INCLINED TO ESTABLISH BOLD
GOALS, AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO
ACHIEVE BOLD GOALS.
AND TO THAT END, WE WOU WANT --E
WOULD LIKE, I SHOULD SAY MORE
POLITELY, WE WOULD LIKE NIDCR TO
RESEARCH IN CAREI SE, AND
PERIODONTAL ORAL DISEASES, THE
TWO BIGGEST BURDENS WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW, AND TO SEE WHERE
WE'RE GOING WITH NONINVASIVE,
NON-SURGICAL SORTS OF TREATMENT
THAT CAN BE USED IN THE FIELD,
AND THEN COMMUNITY TRIALS FOR
IMPLEMENTING THE EVIDENCE-BASED
PROJECT.
BECAUSE AS I SAID, THE
PREVENTABLE BURDEN OF ORAL
DISEASES IS LARGE, AND I WORRY
THAT IF WE'RE NOT BOLD ENOUGH TO
ENVISION WHAT SORT OF SYSTEMS
NEED TO TRANSFORM TO ACHIEVE
THINGS LIKE 30 YEARS FROM NOW,
NO MORE CARIES.
THERE'S A LOT OF GLOBAL
ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON THAT
GOAL, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE IN
THE U.S. ALSO SUPPORTING IT AND
I JUST WONDER IF WE'RE NOT BOLD,
WILL WE REALLY SEE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THOSE
SYSTEMS OF CARE, THE SYSTEMS OF
PREVENTION, PUBLIC HEALTH,
HEALTHCARE SERVICE DELIVERY AND
THE LIKE.
SO I WANT US ALL TO BE THINKING
ABOUT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN
THE NEXT 75 YEARS.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL EXPRESS
SINCERE GRATITUDE AND THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, AND LOOK
FORWARD TO THE REST OF YOUR
AGENDA FOR TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
DR. CHALMERS.
>>GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
AND WHAT AN AMAZING, INSPIRING
MORNING WE'VE HAD, CELEBRATING
ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN
75 YEARS OF NIDCR.
AND I HAVE TO START WITH, AFTER
REMARKS.
THIS IS COMING HOME DEFINITELY
FOR ME, BECAUSE I WALKED THROUGH
THESE DOORS FOR MY PH.D. WANTING
TO CURE DENTAL CARIES.
I WAS GOING TO PUT DENTISTS OUT
OF BUSINESS BUT TH IT DIDN'T WOK
QUITE THAT WAY.
THAT IS ONLY TO SAY, THE
EXCELLENT TRAINING NIDCR HAS
PROVIDED IN MY CAREER IS
INSTRUMENTAL AND INFORMATIVE OF
EVERY POLICY DECISION THAT IS
DONE AT CMS.
AND OF COURSE LATER I WAS HERE
AS A CLINICAL FELLOW, REALLY
SEEING WHAT AN INTEGRATED CARE
MODEL LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE ARE
AROUND THE TABLE, WITH
PALLIATIVE CARE, WITH THE
BEHAVIORAL SCIENTISTS, WITH
DERMATOLOGY, WITH THE
CARDIOLOGIST, THINKING ABOUT THE
BEST OUTCOME FOR THE PATIENT.
AND THAT, ALONG WITH MY
PEDIATRIC DEBT INDU DENTISTRY TG
AGAIN IN THE DENTAL SCHOOL HERE
HAS TRULY GUIDED MY DECISION AND
HOW I ADVANCE THINKING ABOUT THE
PATIENT HERE, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL
HERE TO IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH
OF OUR PATIENTS, YES THE
NATION'S, BUT IT TRULY STARTS
WITH THAT PATIENT AND THINKING
ABOUT THE INTEGRATED MODEL OF
CARE, HOW TO -- TO THE POINT
ABOUT FUNDING, WE MAY BE ONLY 2%
OF THE FUNDING, BUT OUR IMPACT
AMPLIFIES BECAUSE YOU CANNOT
HAVE GOOD ORAL HEALTH WITHOUT --
YOU CANNOT HAVE GOOD HEALTH
WITHOUT GOOD ORAL HEALTH.
AND I THINK THAT IS
UNDERESTIMATED IN THE REST OF
THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
SO IT'S AN HONOR TO SERVE AS THE
CHIEF FIRST DENTAL OFFICER IN
THE OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR,
AT THE CENTERS FOR MEDICAID AND
MEDICARE SERVICES.
[APPLAUSE]
AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPACT
OF OUR PROGRAM, TODAY,
150 MILLION AMERICANS ARE
TOUCHED BY OUR PROGRAMS.
THINK ABOUT THAT.
THAT IS IS IN 2.
IN THIS ROOM, THERE ARE PEOPLE
WHO EITHER HAVE A RELATIVE, A
FRIEND, WHO IS IMPACTED BY THE
POLICIES THAT WE AT CMS DEVELOP.
AND WE HAVE SIX PILLARS THAT
GUIDE ALL OF OUR WORK.
THE FIRST ONE IS TO ADVANCE
EQUITY, TO BE A TRUSTED PARTNER
THAT ADVANCES HEALTH EQUITY,
EXPANDS ACCESS TO CARE AND THEN
IMPROVES CLINICAL OUTCOMES.
EQUITY, HEALTH EQUITY IS NOT THE
LAST QUESTION WE ASK, IT'S THE
FIRST QUESTION WE ASK.
IT REALLY CHANGES HOW YOU
APPROACH EVEN A BASIC SCIENCE
QUESTION.
WHO IS THE POPULATION?
WHAT IS MY MODEL, CLINICAL
TRIAL, HOW DO I RECRUIT PEOPLE,
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE IMPAN IMPACTY
THE DISEASE.
SO REALLY THAT IS THE GOAL.
AND THEN TO EXPAND ACCESS.
WE KNOW WE HAVE THE MOST AMAZING
SCIENCE THAT IS OUT OF REACH FOR
MILLIONS.
TODAY, IN THE MEDICAID PROGRAM,
50% OF KIDS NEVER SEE A DENTIST.
IN SOME STATE, IT'S 80%.
AND WE -- LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A
SCOPE OF COVERAGE.
IN SOME STATES, WE COVER 80% OF
THE KIDS.
SO PUT THESE TWO TOGETHER AND WE
HAVE A DISPARITY IN THE MAKING.
AGAIN, PLENTY OF PEOPLE ARE
GETTING ORAL HEALTH, THEY CAN
CALL THE DENTIST, SCHEDULE
APPOINTMENT, BUT JUST LET'S
REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE DEEP
DISPARITIES.
WHAT IS REALLY GOOD IS THAT OVER
THE LAST 70 YEARS, THE GAP HAS
CLOSED, BUT IT REMAINS VERY WI
WIDE.
IT'S SMALLEST IN CHILDREN
ACTUALLY.
THE RACIAL DISPARITY GAPS.
IT'S LARGER IN ADULTS, AND IT'S
BIGGEST IN SENIORS, OKAY?
THE HEALTH DISPARITIES ARE MIND
BOGGLING, REGARDLESS OF
INSURANCE STATUS OR COVERAGE.
WE HAVE ACCESS TO CARE ISSUES.
SO JUST GIVING YOU THE SCOPE OF
THE PROGRAMS IN THE MEDICAID
SPACE, YOU KNOW, MEDICARE IS
65 MILLION, WE HAVE 93 MILLION
IN MEDICAID, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE
ARE TOUCHED BY OUR PROGRAMS.
AND ALL OF OUR POLICY, LET ME
HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THEM, ARE
REALLY DRIVEN BY THE SCIENCE
THAT NIDCR HAS GENERATED.
TO YOUR POINT, CASEY, WE CAN
ONLY IMPLEMENT WHAT WE KNOW
WORKS.
YOU CANNOT DEVELOP A PUBLIC
HEALTH PROGRAM ON SCIENCE THAT'S
NOT EVIDENCE-BASED.
I HAVE CORE PRINCIPLES THAT
GUIDE ANY POLICY DECISION.
THE FIRST ONE IS THAT IT HAS TO
BE FOCUSED ON EQUITY, THE
SECOND, IT HAS TO BE BASED ON
EVIDENCE AND HAS TO BE
DATA-DRIVEN.
ONE OF THE KEY FUNDAMENTAL
THINGS I HEARD TODAY THAT REALLY
RESONATES IS, DATA IS NOT ONLY
THE NEW OIL, BECAUSE OIL CAN BE
CRUDE.
YOU NEED TO HAVE CLINICIANS WHO
CAN TRANSLATE THAT DATA SCIENCE
INTO POLICY DECISION-MAKING,
THAT IMPACTS PEOPLE'S LIFE.
AND ONE EXAMPLE, IF YOU ALLOW ME
TO SHARE, IT'S BEFORE MY TIME AT
CMS, JUST TO SHOW YOU THE POWER
OF CLINICAL DATA AND POLICY
COMING TOGETHER.
THERE WAS A COALITION IN
MARYLAND, WHO RECOGNIZED THAT IN
MARYLAND, THERE WAS NOT AN ADULT
MEDICAID COVERAGE BECAUSE ADULT
MEDICAID COVERAGE IS OPTIONAL.
FOR CHILDREN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE
COVERAGE.
FOR ADULTS, EVERY STATE CAN
DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
COMPREHENSIVE, FULL, ET CETERA.
LONG STORY SHORT, BUT I ENDED UP
TESTIFYING IN THE HOUSE AND
SENATE IN MARYLAND, AND THAT
BILL PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
THE REASON I'M SHARING THIS IS,
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF
ORAL HEALTH.
THEY CAN RALLY AROUND THEM, AND
THIS JANUARY, 800,000 ADULTS IN
MARYLAND GOT MEDICAID ADULT
COVERAGE.
NOT MY EFFORTS ALONE, BUT I'M
JUST HIGHLIGHTING HOW CLINICAL
EXPERIENCE WITH A WHOLE TEAM OF
STAKEHOLDERS CAN TRULY IMPACT
ACCESS TO CARE.
THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO SEE
ACROSS THE BOARD, BECAUSE TODAY
IN SOME STATE, DENTAL COVERAGE
IS STILL OPTIONAL, SO -- BUT WE
REACH AN INCREDIBLE MILESTONE
LAST YEAR.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE
MEDICAID HISTORY WITH OUR
EFFORTS, THERE IS COVERAGE FOR
PREGNANT WOMEN IN MEDICAID.
AND MEDICAID COVERS -- THANK
YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
-- 42% OF U.S. BIRTHS.
42% ARE COVERED BY MEDICAID.
AND NOW IN EVERY STATE, THERE IS
AN ORAL HEALTH SERVICE FOR
PREGNANT INDIVIDUALS.
DO YOU KNOW THE CHALLENGE,
THOUGH, FOR SOME?
IT ONLY WHEN THEY HAVE AN
EMERGENCY.
IT'S NOT COMPREHENSIVE.
WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO.
I WANT THE MESSAGE TO RESONATE
THAT WE'VE DONE GREAT WORK, WE
HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.
SO WE HAVE, I WOULD SAY, AN
AMAZING PLACE.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT'S VERY MUCH
BASED ON THE EVIDENCE GENERATED
BY RESEARCH FUNDED BY NIDCR IS
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE
ENGAGED WITH 13 STATES, 13
STATES TO IMPLEMENT OUR HEALTH
PREVENTION IN THE PRIMARY CARE
SETTING.
WHY?
I HAVE TAKEN A 3-YEAR-OLD TO THE
OPERATING ROOM WITH 20 CAVITIES.
PICTURE THAT.
3-YEAR-OLD.
THEY ONLY HAVE 20 TEETH.
EACH ONE HAS A CAVITY, OKAY?
THAT IS THE CHALLENGE, IS THAT
WE DENTISTS, EVEN IN SOME
COMMUNITIES TODAY, THERE IS THE
NOTION, OH, COME WHEN YOU'RE 5.
WELL, IT'S TOO LATE WHEN THEY'RE
5.
SO I THINK THIS IDEA OF ORAL
HEALTH LITERACY AND EARLY
INTERVENTION IS REALLY KEY.
JUST TO SHARE, WE'VE ENGAGED
WITH THE STATES, AND EVEN IF IT
WORKS, EVEN IF IT'S PAID FOR,
BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER BARRIER,
COST OF CARE IS ONE OF THE MAJOR
BARRIERS, IT'S STILL VERY
DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT.
AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE IS
KEY TO TRANSLATING ALL OF THIS
GREAT EVIDENCE TO BENEFIT THE
PATIENT AT THE CHAIR OR THE
PROVIDER THAT NEEDS TO DECIDE,
AM I GOING TO DO THIS IN MY
PRACTICE OR NO?
IT TOO DIFFICULT.
WE'RE STILL PHACS FAXING REFERRS
TODAY, IN THIS WORLD.
WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT COORDINATION OF
CARE.
SO THAT WAS THE WORK -- AND
THURSDAY, SHAMELESS PLUG, WE
WILL BE FEATURING THREE STATES,
SO I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THE
INFORMATION, YOU CAN SHARE TO
DENTISTS, THREA STATES -- THREET
DID AMAZING WORK RECOGNIZING HOW
DIFFICULT IT IS.
LET ME JUST FINISH WITH THE
MEDICARE PIECE BECAUSE EVIDENCE
AND ACTUALLY SOME OF THE MOST
RECENT COLLABORATION WILL BECOME
VERY IMPORTANT.
I BROUGHT THE TEXT OF THE
EXCLUSION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
NIDCR WAS ESTABLISHED IN '48.
THIS RULE, THIS STATUTORY
EXCLUSION, WAS WRITTEN IN '65,
AND THIS IS WHAT IT SAYS.
"UNDER SECTION 1862 OF THE
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, NO PAYMENT
MAY BE MADE UNDER PART A OR PART
B FOR ANY EXPENSES INCURRED FOR
ITEMS OF SERVICES WHERE SUCH
EXPENSES ARE FOR SERVICES IN
CONNECTION WITH THE CARE,
TREATMENT, FILLING, REMOVAL OR
REPLACEMENT OF TEETH OR
STRUCTURES DIRECTLY SUPPORTING
THE TEETH.
EXCEPT THAT THE PAYMENT MAY BE
MADE UNDER PART A IN THE CASE OF
INPATIENT HOSPITAL SERVICE IN
CONNECTION WITH THE PROVISION OF
SUCH DENTAL SERVICE IF THE
INDIVIDUAL, BECAUSE OF HIS
UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITION AND
CLINICAL STATUS, OR BECAUSE OF
THE SEVERITY OF THE DENTAL
PROCEDURE REQUIRES
HOSPITALIZATION IN CONNECTION
WITH PROVISION OF SUCH DRUGS, IN
ONE WORDS, THE POLICY IN THE LAW
IS BASED ON THAT ECK COLLUSION.
AND UNLESS THAT IS REMOVED, NO,
YOU KNOW, INTEGRATION OF TRUE
NATURE CAN REALLY HAPPEN.
AND SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO,
BASED ON THIS STATUTORY
EXCLUSION WITHOUT CHANGES IN THE
LAW, TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE
TO EX-PANELED DENTAL SERVICES TO
INDIVIDUALS 65 AND OLDER.
AS I SAID, THE HEALTH
DISPARITIES ARE THE WIDEST.
YOU HAVE RACIAL DISPARITIES THAT
ARE 25%, FROM ONE GROUP TO THE
OTHER.
THAT'S SIMPLY NOT ACCEPTABLE.
AND ALSO, WE KNOW THEY HAVE SO
MANY CHRONIC COMORBIDITIES FOR
WHICH WE NOW HAVE THE SCIENCE
AND THE CONNECTION WITH ORAL
HEALTH.
SO LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME,
WE PROPOSED IN THE 2023
PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE A
RATIONALE FOR EXPANDING COVERAGE
FOR DENTAL SERVICES THAT ARE
INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO A MEDICAL
SERVICE, AND WHERE THE SUCCESS
OF THE MEDICAL SERVICE DEPENDS
ON THE ORAL HEALTH STATUS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, I MEAN, PEOPLE
HERE WORK WITH TRANSPLANTS ALL
THE TIME, RIGHT?
YOU KNOW THE TRANSPLANT WILL
FAIL IF SOMEONE HAS A TOOTH
ABSCESS, MULTIPLE INFECTIONS.
WE KNOW THE MOMENT -- YOU HAVE
AN EMERGENCY.
SO TRANSLATING THAT EVIDENCE
INTO POLICY, RIGHT, IN THE PAST
WE WOULD COVER AN ORAL EXAM.
BUT NOT THE TREATMENT.
SO LAST YEAR WE SAID FIRST WE'RE
GOING TO LOOK EVERYTHING WE
PASSED, PUT IT IN THE LAW.
SECOND, WE'RE GOING TO COVER
ORAL EXAM AND ALL THE TREATMENT
NEEDED BEFORE YOU HAVE THAT
TRANSPLANT, ANY TRANSPLANT.
NOT RENAL, NOT HEART, WHATEVER
TRANSPLANT, BECAUSE FROM A
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE, THEY
REALLY ARE VERY SIMILAR.
AND THEN WE ALSO SAID THINGS
WE'VE PAID IN THE PAST, VALVE
REPLACEMENT, YOU HAVE VOPLASTY,
THESE ARE THINGS WE SAID WE HAVE
ENOUGH EVIDENCE, LET'S PUT IT
INTO LAW.
THE THIRD AND MOST IMPORTANT
PIECE WHERE ALL OF YOU THINKING
ABOUT THE EVIDENCE BECOMES VERY
IMPORTANT IS WE DEVELOPED A
PROCESS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
THE HISTORY OF THE MEDICARE
PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, THE SCIENCE
COMMUNITY, TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK
TO CMS AND SAY WELL, ALL THE
THINGS YOU COVERED, GREAT.
THESE THINGS LOOK LIKE THEM.
AND, THEREFORE, YOU CAN EXPAND
YOUR AUTHORITY TO COVER THESE
SERVICES.
AND THAT EVIDENCE, I CAN'T TELL
YOU HOW CRITICAL IT HAS BEEN TO
HAVE THE STUDIES, TO HAVE THE
RESEARCH AND AN AMAZING
COLLABORATION WITH DR. WEBSTER
CYRIAQUE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO EVEN MORE
MEANINGFUL AND FRUITFUL
COLLABORATIONS BECAUSE IN THE
END OF THE DAY, WAIT WE IMPROVE
ORAL HEALTH IS WHEN WE BRING TO
THE PATIENT THAT NEEDS IT MOST.
AND WE HAVE HUGE EQUITY AND
DISPARITIES, BUT WE HAVE TO BE
VERY INTENTIONAL.
IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE NEED TO BE INTENTIONAL BY
CLOSING IT, TRAIN THE PROVIDERS
WHO ARE DIVERSE BECAUSE THEY'RE
THE ONES THAT SERVE OUR
PATIENTS.
GIVE THEM WHATEVER HELP THEY
NEED IN ORDER TO GO INTO THE
REAL COMMUNITIES AND SERVE
THERE, BECAUSE IN SOME PLACES,
IT'S FASTER TO GO TO THE
EMERGENCY ROOM THAN IT IS TO GO
TO A DENTIST, AND THAT'S MONEY
DOWN THE DRAIN, SO I THINK
REALLY THINKING ABOUT EVIDENCE,
TRANSLATING THAT WITH DATA AND
EMPOWERING IT THROUGH TO POLICY.
THANK YOU.
>>THANK YOU DR CHALMERS.
[APPLAUSE]
AND DR. NANDKUMAR.
>>THAT WAS AWESOME WITHOUT
NOTES AND ANYTHING.
[LAUGHTER]
I HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
INSTITUTE, NIDCR, FOR YOUR
75 YEARS.
I WORK AT FDA IN THE CENTER FOR
DEVICES AND RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH.
I'M THE DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR
DIVISION OF DENTAL AND ENT
DEVICES, SO WE ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR WHAT WE CALL THE TOTAL
PRODUCT LIFECYCLE REGULATION OF
MEDICAL DEVICES IN THOSE TWO
AREAS.
TOTAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE, WE ALSO
CALL THAT TPLC, BY THAT I MEAN
WE GET DEVICE SUBMISSIONS ALL
THE WAY FROM VERY EARLY DEVEL
DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DISCUSSIONS
WITH RESEARCHERS, MANUFACTURERS,
AT THE STAGE OF BENCH STUDIES,
ANIMAL STUDIES, NON-CLINICAL
STUDY, ALL THE WAY TO CLINICAL
STUDIES AND EVENTUALLY END UP IN
MARKETING SUBMISSIONS, WHICH WE
REVIEW AND APPROVE OR FIND THEM
AS SAFE AND AS EFFECTIVE AS A
LEGALLY MARKETED DEVICE.
AND THAT'S JUST THE PREMARKET
ASPECT.
WE ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR POST
MARKET SURVEILLANCE OF DEVICE
SAFETY, AND WE ALSO MONITOR
COMPLIANCE TO REGULATIONS OF
DEVICES THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE
MARKET.
SO THAT'S THE TOTAL PRODUCT
LIFECYCLE REGULATION THAT WE ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR.
OF COURSE THE MISSION OF FDA AS
EVERYONE KNOWS IS TO PROMOTE AND
PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC
HEALTH.
THE PRIORITIES, I WAS ASKED TO
TALK OVER SOME OF THE PRIORITIES
THAT OVERLAP HERE.
ONE OF THE BIG ONES IS THAT
ALLIANCE WITH NIDCR IS THE
ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE OF WHAT
WE CALL REGULATORY SCIENCE
BECAUSE WE TRY TO DEVELOP TOOLS
AND PROCEDURES THAT HELP
RESEARCHERS THAT HELP THE
COMMUNITY OF -- THE SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH THESE
ADVANCEMENTS THAT CAN EVENTUALLY
MAKE TO THE CLINIC, TO THE
BEDSIDE, TO THE PATIENT.
ACCESS, AFFORDABILITY,
EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT TODAY IS SOMETHING THAT WE
HAVE -- PROGRAMS THAT ARE
ONGOING AT THE FDA, WHERE WE
ENABLE RESEARCHERS TO -- AND I
KNOW I HEARD TODAY MORNING,
THERE ARE COMPLEXITIES IN
REGULATIONS THAT BECOME
SOMETIMES ROADBLOCKS TO
RESEARCHERS, THAT CAN BECOME
ROADBLOCKS, SO WE ARE VERY
HAPPY, THE TAKEAWAY I WOULD HAVE
THAT YOU COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR
AWARDEES', FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT
AWARDEES AND RESEARCHERS IS TO
CONNECT WITH US AS EARLY AS
POSSIBLE IN THEIR RESEARCH.
PATHWAY, AND WE HAVE ANYTHING
EVEN FROM AN INFORMAL EMAIL TO
ME OR ALL THE WAY TO WHAT WE
CALL A PRESUBMISSION WHICH IS A
MUCH MORE STRUCTURED APPROACH TO
INTERACTING.
QUESTIONS ON REGULATORY PATHWAY,
EVEN, YOU KNOW, PROTOCOLS FOR
TESTING, WE HAVE GUIDANCE
DOCUMENTS AND TOOLS AVAILABLE
AND WE COULD SHARE THAT WITH THE
COMMUNITY AND JUST BRAINSTORM ON
SOME OF THESE RESEARCH IDEAS ON
HOW TO MOVE IT INTO WHETHER
THERE'S A CLINICAL STUDY,
WHETHER THERE'S AN IDE -- IN
DEVICES IT'S CALLED AN IDE, IN
DRUGS AND DEVICES IT'S AN IND,
INVESTIGATIVE DEVICE EXEMPTION,
TO CONDUCT THE CLINICAL STUDY
FOR HI HIGH RISK DEVICES.
IF NOT IT WILL BE AN
IRB-APPROVED STUDY.
EVEN FOR THAT, EVEN IF IT
DOESN'T COME AS AN IDE TO US, WE
LIKE TO INTERACT AND ENSURE THAT
A STUDY THAT SOMEBODY IS
SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY IN DOING
IS STUDIES THE RIGHT END POINTS,
IS LOOKING AT THE RIGHT
ASSESSMENT SO THAT IT'S USEFUL
WHEN IT COMES IN AS A MARKETING
SUBMISSION TO THE FDA.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE'S TIME AND MONEY IS
BEING USED IN A WAY SO THAT WHEN
IT COMES TO US, THAT REVIEW
PROCESS HAS SOME PREDICTABILITY,
HAS SOME -- IS EFFICIENT FOR
EVERYONE, FOR BOTH OUR
REVIEWERS, OUR SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS IN MY DIVISION AND THE
RESEARCHERS, SO THAT EVENTUAL
GOAL IS THAT CLINICIANS AND
PATIENTS BENEFIT FROM THESE
TECHNOLOGIES.
SO REGARDING WHAT WE ARE DOING
TODAY, COLLABORATIONS, WE HAVE
COLLABORATED WITH NIDCR ON
TMJ -- PATIENT-LED TMJ
ROUNDTABLE.
THERE ARE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR
DEVICE DISORDER TREATMENTS AND
FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS, THERE'S
BIOMATERIALS FUNDING
ANNOUNCEMENT, AND WE HAVE
INTERACTED WITH NIDCR, WE AR%
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, HAVE
REVIEWED SOME OF THESE PROPOSALS
WHO ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH
RESEARCHERS AND EVENTUALLY WHEN
IT COMES IN, WE'LL ALL HAVE A
BETTER IDEA OF WHAT IS -- WHAT
THIS MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON,
WHAT KIND OF -- WHAT IS THE BEST
OR MOST EFFICIENT PATHWAY TO
MARKET.
THAT'S THE GOAL.
AND WE'VE ALSO -- I THINK FOLKS
MENTIONED THE DOC PRC THIS
MORNING, I PRESENTED AT ONE OF
THEIR MEETINGS A FEW YEARS AGO,
I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT AND HAPPY
TO HAVE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
DO THAT, AND IT WAS A VERY GOOD
INTERACTION.
WE INTERACTED WITH THE
RESEARCHERS AND EVEN AFTER THE
PRESENTATION, BRAINSTORMED ON
WAYS THAT THEY COULD BRING THEIR
DEVICES TO A CLINICAL STUDY, TO
MARKET, AND IT'S A NICE WAY TO
INFORMALLY INTERACT AND PROVIDE
SOME FEEDBACK, WHICH IS VERY
USEFUL TO RESEARCHERS AND USEFUL
TO US ALSO BECAUSE EVENTUALLY,
WE SEE SUBMISSIONS THAT WE'RE
NOT TELLING FOLKS YOU'VE GOT TO
START ALL OVER AGAIN FROM THE
BEGINNING.
IT HELPS EVERYONE.
AND I THINK LAST THING I WOULD
SAY IS THAT WE ARE MORE AND
MORE -- WE ARE SEEING SUBMIS
SUBMISSIONS THAT AS FOLKS TALKED
IN THE MORNING, DATA-DRIVEN,
A.I., MACHINE LANGUAGE-DRIVEN,
YOU KNOW, AND HEALTH EQUITY AND
ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY IS A
BIG THING, A BIG PRIORITY EVEN
AT THE FDA, AND WE ARE SEEING
MORE AND MORE WHERE PATIENTS
CAN -- SORRY, THE PRIMTION HOME
PRESCRIPTIONHOME USE OR OVER THR
THAT PATIENTS CAN DOWNLOAD AN
APP AND MONITOR THEIR OWN
HEALTH.
THIS IS A BIG THING IN ORAL
HEALTH ALSO.
AND WE VEING M ARE SEEING MORE E
OF THESE TYPES OF SUBMISSIONS,
AND HAPPY TO TALK, AND WE DO
HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING WITH THE NIDCR.
>>YES, WE DO.
>>SO WE ARE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT
THESE KINDS OF THINGS, AND MOVE
THESE AREAS FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
>>PER FENGT.
PERFECT.
THIS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL CHAT.
AND I HAVE TO THANK ALL OF OUR
FEDERAL PARTNERS BECAUSE IT WILL
TAKE ALL OF US TO GET TO OPTIMAL
WHOLE PERSONAL HEALTH, WHERE THE
O IN WHOLE STANDS FOR ORAL
HEALTH, RIGHT?
THAT'S AN EQUITABLE, ACCESSIBLE,
AFFORDABLE, AND OPTIMAL.
SO WE THANK YOU, AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUED
COLLABORATIONS SO THAT WE CAN
ALL REACH OUR MOONSHOT AND GET
RID OF THESE PREVENTABLE
DISEASES.
THANK YOU ALL.
[APPLAUSE]
OUR FINAL TALK WILL BE FROM OUR
DIRECTOR, RENA D'SOUZA.
, WHO WILL
CHART THE FUTURE.
>>I SHOULD HAVE CALLED THIS THE
EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AIR
TRAVEL.
[LAUGHTER]
TWO DAYS OF SLEEPLESS NIGHTS
ACTUALLY IN TWO AIRPORTS, COMING
BACK FROM COLOMBIA.
I WAS AT HIGH ALTITUDE SO I
COULD BE A VISIONARY, BE THE BIG
PICTURE VIEW HERE.
BUT IT'S BEEN SUCH A HOPEFUL
MORNING, SUCH AN INSPIRATIONAL
SET OF TALKS, AND I JUST WANT TO
REMIND US ALL THAT TO BE LEADING
AN ORGANIZATION OR AN ENTITY
LIKE THIS AT THIS STAGE IN ITS
CAREER -- IN ITS HISTORY, ONLY
MEANS ONE THING, THAT PEOPLE
MATTER FOR US AT NIDCR.
THE COMMUNITY OF STAFFERS, OF
EXECUTIVE LEADERS WHO ARE HERE
TODAY, REALLY MAKE IT HAPPEN.
PROGRAM STAFF IN THE DIVISION OF
EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH, MATT
HOFFMAN LEADING THE INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM IN BUILDING 30, THE
LEGENDARY BUILDING 30.
JANICE LEE FOR REALLY CREATING A
NATIONALLY IF NOT
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED
PROGRAM IN CLINICAL RESEARCH AND
TRAINING, ALL OF YOU COUNT AND
MATTER.
SO JENNIFER, TO HAVE YOU AS A
PARTNER, OF COURSE, ADDS A LOT
OF ICING ON THAT CAKE.
SO I WANT TO -- I ALWAYS HAVE
THIS LITTLE SAYING, EVERY TALK
I'VE GIVEN THIS LAST YEAR,
BECAUSE IT REALLY SAYS A LOT,
ABOUT REALIZING THE PROMISES OF
SCIENCE.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ABOUT.
AND WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE THIS
LEGACY, AND THE HISTORY, AND
YOU'LL SEE IT UNFOLD THROUGH THE
YEAR.
VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON PROJECTING
FOR THE FUTURE OUR VERY BEST
RESEARCH AND HOW WE CAN ADVANCE
IT THROUGH THESE TIMES.
OF COURSE WE RECOGNIZE TODAY THE
WORLD IS CHANGING.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
EVERY TALK EMPHASIZED THIS, WITH
GREAT CLARITY.
AND WHAT FOR US AS SCIENTISTS,
IT'S AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME
ACTUALLY TO BE TAKING A LOOK AT
THE CONVERGING OF ALL THESE
DISCIPLINES, OF ALL THE OMICS,
AS LAURIE MENTIONED, THE
MULTI-OMIC ERA IS UPON US, WE NO
LONGER CAN AFFORD TO BE
REDUCTIONIST EVEN THOUGH WE'VE
BEEN RAISED IN GRAND TIMES OF
BEING VERY ME C MECHANISTIC AND
HYPOTHESIS DRIVEN, WE STILL HAVE
TO HAVE THAT BIG PICTURE IN
MIND.
TODAY I WANT TO CONNECT ONE
THEME, OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, OUR
STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATION LEADERS
AND THAT WORD IS A NEW OMICS,
IT'S BEEN USED BEFORE, CALLED
THE CONNECTOME.
WE'RE GOING TO BE CONNECTING THE
DOTS FOR THE FUTURE.
HAVING THIS CELEBRATION WITH OUR
PARTNERS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT
NIDCR IS COMMIT TODAY COMMITTEE
NEAR FUTURE.
DADATA IS THE NEW OIL AND YOU CN
SEE CONNECTING THROUGH DATA
SCIENCE GIVES US ONE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO THAT, BUT THERE ARE
OTHERS.
OVER THE LAST 2 1/2 YEARS, I
HAVE STEADILY BUILT WITH HELP
FROM STAFFERS RELATIONSHIPS THAT
MATTER WITH PARTNERING
INSTITUTES.
WE ARE NOT AS RESOURCED AS THE
REST OF SOME OF THEM, RIGHT?
WE ARE STILL AT A $500 MILLION
BUDGET, IT'S GOOD, BUT THERE ARE
INSTITUTES HERE IN THIS
COLLECTION THAT ARE 6 BILLION
STRONG PLUS, SO WE ARE CLEVERLY
LEVERAGING SUPPORT FROM EACH ONE
OF THEM, TOO MANY TO LIST RIGHT
NOW, FOR OUR MAJOR INITIATIVES,
AND BY DOING THAT, WE CREATE THE
PARTNERSHIPS AND IN A VERY
SUBTLE WAY, ARE ESTABLISHING THE
IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HEALTH THAT
NIDCR IS NOT ALONE, THAT WE ARE
CONNECTED WITH THE OTHER
INSTITUTES, EACH ONE OF THEM
FOCUSED ON A SPECIFIC ORGAN OR A
DISEASE.
THAT TODAY, WE ARE AND WILL
REMAIN THE PROUD OWNERS OF THE
SYSTEMS THAT WE ARE ENTRUSTED
WITH.
IS NIDCR'S DISTINGUISHING
RESPONSIBILITY ON CAMPUS.
THERE IS NO OTHER INSTITUTE THAT
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT WE HAVE,
IN TERMS OF UNIQUE BIOLOGICAL
SYSTEMS, PARADIGMS FOR
MINIMALIZATION, FOR
REGENERATION, ET CETERA, WE HAVE
IT ALL, AND THAT GIVES US THAT
FOUNDATION TO CONNECT THE ORAL
CAVITY WITH THE REST OF THE
BODY.
IT JUST THERE.
IT'S JUST THERE.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE
THAT'S EXTREMELY DIFFERENTIATING
FOR OUR INSTITUTE AS WE STAND
OUT AMONGST THE OTHER 27,
PERHAPS COMING CLOSE, IS WE ARE
NOT JUST FOCUSED ON ONE ORGAN OR
ONE DISEASE, THAT WE HAVE WITH
US THE RESPONSIBILITY ENTRUSTED
TO SAFEGUARD THE ORAL HEALTH
PROFESSION.
TO WATCH OUT FOR DENTAL SCHOOLS
AND THEIR TRAINING AND THEIR
EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE.
TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONNECTION
WITH CLINICIANS IS REAL.
I'M HOPING, DR. SHEPLEY, REALLY
FOR US TO BE FORGING PATHS OF
COLLABORATION WITH ADA, SO THAT
WE PUBLISH THE LATEST THAT IS OF
IMPACT TO DENTAL PRACTITIONERS
AND DRAW THEM IN TO OUR
WORKFORCE.
IN THIS AGE OF TRANSLATION,
THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT
THAN THE EYES OF THE CLINICIAN
CHAIRSIDE.
EVERY PATIENT, EVERY TREATMENT
BECOMES AN EXPERIMENT WORTH
REPORTING THE DATA FROM, RIGHT?
SO -- AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT
THESE ARE NOT COMPETING VISIONS
AND FOR THAT REASON, OUR
PARTNERSHIP COMES TOGETHER TO
CREATE THAT WHOLE, THAT
IMPORTANT POLICY REFORM THAT
NATALIA SO WELL DESCRIBED.
WE ARE GUIDED BY THE REPORT.
IT CAME TO US AS A GIFT, AS A
GIFT FOR US AT NIDCR TO TURN
OVER TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU OWN THAT GIFT.
AND IT TELLS US, IT'S THE VOICE
OF THE COMMUNITY, IT WASN'T JUST
400 PEOPLE WHO WROTE IT, BUT
THEY REFLECTED THE DATA OF THE
LAST 20 YEARS.
STRIKING AS FRANCIS HAD
MENTIONED CAME THIS REMINDER
THAT I AM HAUNTED WITH AS
DIRECTOR, THAT DESPITE THE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES,
THE BRILLIANT WORK OF OUR
INTRAMURAL RESEARCHERS, AND THE
GREAT DISCOVERIES FROM OUR
EXTRAMURAL COMMUNITY, WE STILL
DEAL WITH THIS VERY STRONG SET
OF DATA THAT SAYS THAT
POPULATIONS IN THE U.S.
EXPERIENCE ORAL HEALTH
DIFFERENTLY.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG OR
NOT ENOUGH OF?
YOU KNOW, IT REALLY MAKES US
WANT TO THINK, PERHAPS HAVE WE
PAID ENOUGH ATEXT ATTENTION TO E
UPSTREAM DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH,
THE SOCIOECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL
DETERMINANTS THAT MAKE OUR
AMERICAN SOCIETY SO SUSCEPTIBLE
TO DENTAL OR CRANIOFACIAL
DISEASES?
HOW DO WE AMPLIFY OUR
INTERVENTIONS, OUR BEHAVIORAL
AND SOCIAL CONDITIONING SYSTEMS,
COLLECTIVELY WITH PARTNERS, SO
THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE IT
HAPPEN FOR A PATIENT AND FOR
COMMUNITIES AT RISK?
WE ARE GUIDED BY A STRATEGIC
PLAN, I WAS SO TOUCHED THAT
FRANCIS ACTUALLY READ IT,
BECAUSE IT CAME AT A TIME WHEN
THE REPORT WAS BEING DEVELOPED
INDEPENDENTLY, BUT MAGICALLY THE
TWO ARE SO ALIGNED.
AND INSTEAD OF BEING
DISEASE-SPECIFIC, IT WAS EASY
FOR ME TO DO IT BECAUSE I'M A
CRANIOFACIAL BIOLOGIST, IT WAS
FAR MORE OF A CALLING TO BE
LOOKING AT TRANSLATION FROM A
HIGHER PERSPECTIVE, TO BE
LOOKING AT THE IMPORTANCE OF
CREATING A WORKFORCE THAT
REPRESENTS OUR DEMOGRAPHICS.
AND THEN TO BE MEASURING WHAT WE
DO ALL THE TIME, EVERY TIME, SO
THAT WE KEEP WHAT WORKS AND MOVE
APART FROM THINGS THAT HAVE NOT
WORKED AS WELL.
I THINK THAT IS REFRESHING AND I
THINK WE WILL BE COMMITTED IN
THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO CHARTING
THIS COURSE BASED ON THESE
GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
NOW HERE I LOVE THIS PARTICULAR
SCHEMATIC.
IT PUTS THE PATIENT IN THE
CENTER, THAT THE SCIENCE WE DO
IS RELEVANT TO ORAL HEALTH AND
GENERAL HEALTH.
THERE'S NOT A PERSON IN THIS
ROOM THAT WOULDN'T AGREE TO
THAT, WITH THAT PARTICULAR
PHILOSOPHY, THAT EVERY ARM OF
RESEARCH INVOLVES EACH ONE OF
US, AND EACH ARM IS IMPORTANT
FOR THE OVERALL HEALTH OF
INDIVIDUALS.
THE FIRST GOAL IS TO PUT THE
MEAT ON THE BONES IN TERMS OF
TRUE SCIENCE.
WE HAVE GREAT EVIDENCE COMING
OUT HERE OF THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN ORAL HEALTH, PERIODONTAL
HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH,
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, THESE
CONNECTIONS, THE GUT AND ORAL
MICROBIOME, AND WE WILL CONTINUE
ON THAT PATH NOT IN ANY WAY
IGNORING THE INFLUENCES OF THE
ENVIRONMENT ON OUR GENERAL
HEALTH, RIGHT?
TO TAKE ALL OF THAT AND PUT IT
INTO FRANCIS COLLINS' VISION OF
PRECISION MEDICINE IS A NATURAL
ORGANIC OUTCOME THAT WILL HAP
HAPPEN.
THIRD GOAL, IMPORTANT,
DEVELOPING, A LOT OF WORK TO BE
DONE IN THIS AREA, IS TO MAKE
THE IMPLEMENTATION POSSIBLE.
SO WE TAKE WHAT WE DISCOVER TO
CLINICIANS, AND TO PUBLIC HEALTH
CENTERS AND COMMUNITIES.
VERY IMPORTANT.
NURTURING THE DIVERSE POPULATION
OF FUTURE RESEARCHERS AND
EDUCATORS IS IMPORTANT, AND OF
COURSE EXPANDING OUR
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ALL OUR
LEADERS PRESENT HERE TODAY IS
IMPORTANT.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING?
WE'RE SETTING UP NEW
COMMUNITIES, LEARNING NEW
COLLABORATIONS.
WE'VE HAD THINK TANKS, THESE ARE
GOING TO CONTINUE.
CONNECTING THE DOTS WAS A LESSON
THAT THE PANDEMIC TAUGHT US WAS
GOING TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE FOR
THE FUTURE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO ALWAYS MEET IN
PERSON, WE CAN MAKE THESE
CONNECTIONS VIRTUALLY AND IN
OTHER WAYS, AND WE'VE HAD THESE
AND THEY'VE STIMULATED, BY
BRINGING THOUGHT LEADERS TO THE
FIELD, NEW IDEAS ON HOWL
CONNECHOW CONNECTBEING THE DOTSE
CONNECTOME CAN ACTUALLY ADVANCE
OUR SCIENCE.
NO LONGER ARE INDIVIDUALS IN
SILOS GOING TO FEEL THAT
COMFORTABLE IF THEY WEREN'T
CONNECTED WITH TEAMS OF
SCIENTISTS.
AGAIN, A THEME THAT HAS
RESONATED THROUGH THE MORNING.
OUR STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIP IS
EXTREMELY VALUABLE, AND I COULD
THINK OF NO OTHER WAY TO BRING
US TOGETHER THAN THIS PARTICULAR
VENUE.
AND OF COURSE, CULTIVATING THE
ORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE.
SO I WANT YOU TO ACTUALLY JUST
TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND CLOSE
YOUR EYES AND THINK WHERE YOU
WANT YOU TO BE, YOUR KIDS, YOUR
GRANDKIDS, AND WHERE WOULD YOU
WANT TO SEE NIDCR 25 YEARS FROM
NOW.
I THINK ONLY IN 25-YEAR
INCREMENTS.
I CAN'T GO AS FAR AS 75.
BUT LET'S THINK 25 BECAUSE IT
COMPLETES A CENTURY.
JUST THINK FOR A MINUTE.
AND IT MAKES US REALLY WANT TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND I WANT EACH ONE OF YOU TO
TAKE THAT VALUE BACK WITH YOU
AND LIVE IT EVERY DAY THAT
YOU'RE HERE ON NIH'S CAMPUS OR
OUTSIDE.
I WILL SAY THAT THROUGH THE
75 YEARS, WE'VE HAD GIANTS JUST
EMERGE.
LARRY TABAK TO ME IS A 75-YEAR
GEM THAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE.
BUT THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM GIVES
NIDCR ITS IDENTITY.
THESE RESEARCHERS ARE
OUTSTANDING.
THEY ALL WITH THE --
CONTRIBUTING TO DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF SCIENCE IN THESE
AREAS, AND THEY BRING, CONTINUE
TO AND WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND
IN BRINGING AREAS OF DISTINCTION
TO -- NOT JUST TO TO OUR INSTIT,
TO NIH AND TO THE WORLD OF ORAL
HEALTH SCIENCES.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATION
RESEARCH WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
IT'S NOT EASY TO EXPAND SUCH AN
ENDEAVOR.
BUT I THINK THE RIPPLE EFFECTS
OF WHAT JANICE LEE HAS CREATED
IS COMING THROUGH THE COUNTRY TO
WHERE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE
EMULATING THE PROGRAMS THAT WE
OFFER, OR THE PROGRAM THAT WE
OFFER HERE ON OUR CAMPUS.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DIVERSE
INTERESTS HERE WITH THE PATIENT
IN THE CENTER, BUT THIS IS
ACTUALLY -- HAS ACTUALLY LED TO
DRUGS THAT WORK ON PATIENTS WITH
RARE CONDITIONS LIKE MCCUNE
ALBRIGHT'S JUST PUBLISHED IN THE
JOURNAL OF MEDICINE, AND MORE TO
COME THERE.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR
EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH PROGRAM
STAFF LED BY LILLIAN SHUM, I
JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH, LILLIAN.
YOU HAVE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE
TO REALLY SHEPHERD THE PROGRAM,
IT'S ALL ABOUT LEADERSHIP.
YOU'VE ACCOMMODATED TO THESE
KIND OF CRAZY IDEAS THAT POP
INTO MY HEAD QUITE OFTEN, AND
DELIVERED IN SUCH A WONDERFUL
WAY.
SO THANK YOU, AND YOU CAN SEE
FROM THE PORTFOLIO THAT WE COVER
ASPECTS OF EVERY ISSUE AND EVERY
TISSUE IMAGINABLE AND EVERY MODE
OF INVESTIGATION THAT IS
POSSIBLE HERE FROM CROSS-CUTTING
TO DISEASE SPECTRUM TO AREAS AND
DISCIPLINES.
NOW, WE INVEST IN MULTIMILLION
DOLLAR INITIATIVES.
EACH ONE OF THEM, IF YOU JUST
THINK ABOUT IT, ARE SITTING IN
THEIR OWN SPACE, HAVING DONE
WELL.
SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY GOING
TO THIRD CYCLES NOW OF FUNDING
OR FOURTH CYCLES.
COULD WE CONNECT THE DOTS.
SO I DREAM OF A TIME WHEN THE
FACE IS REPOSITORY THAT IS SO
DEDICATED, SO VISIONARY 20 YEARS
AGO, TO HAVE A DATA SHARING AND
MANAGEMENT PLATFORM WAS UNHEARD
OF THEN.
BUT WE LED THE WAY THERE.
HALL SLAVKIN, LARRY TABAK,
CONNECT THE DOTS.
THEY ACTUALLY TRIED IN CLIN CAL
TRIAL NETWORKS THAT THE PRACTICE
BASED RESEARCH NETWORK WOULD
CREATE.
HOW IS THE PEM TROA MANDIBULAR
JOINT THAT DELIVERS THAT
WONDERFUL INITIATIVE WE JUST
KICKED OFF, HOLISTIC IN ITS
APPROACH, CONNECTING THIS VERY
DEBILITATING CONDITION TO
SYSTEMIC CONDITIONS TO
COMORBIDITIES, HOW DOES THAT
TAKE OFF AND HOW DOES THAT
CONNECT WITH THESE OTHER
INITIATIVES?
WE'RE GOING THERE.
FAITH-BASED ITSELF, LEW IS HERE,
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR KHALIDER
SHIP ALONG WITH LILLIAN TO
DEVELOP IT AS THE FUTURE
REPOSITORY.
IN BOTH GENERALIZED AND
SPECIALIZED MEANS BY WHICH
CLINICIANS CAN ACCESS CARE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ZEBRAFISH AND
MOUSE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT, BUT WE'RE
LOADING ON HUMAN DATA, REAL
RADIOGRAPHS AND C TSM SCANS, SOO
CLINICIANS ARE WELL INFORMED
ABOUT DIAGNOSING CRANIOFACIAL
ANOMALIES AND PERHAPS OTHER
DISEASES.
WE'VE JUST ADDED AN ENAMEL BASE
DATABASE TO THIS REPOSITORY,
JUST AN EXAMPLE.
I THINK PROBABLY FOR ME, THE
MOST ELEVATING OF ALL
EXPERIENCES WAS TO LAUNCH
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES IN THIS
YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO CALL
OUR ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMS.
LAURIE MENTIONED PRIMED, WHICH
SETS UP FOR US WITHIN THE DENTAL
SCHOOL A CULTURE FOR A LOT OF
LEARNING, FOR LEARNING THAT
CLINICIANS ARE INTEGRAL TO THIS
WORKFORCE, THE RESEARCH
WORKFORCE, CREATING AN
INFRASTRUCTURE, A CAPACITY WITH
DENTAL SCHOOLS TO CONNECT WITH
ITS RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT AROUND,
EVEN IF YOU'RE A SINGLE DENTAL
SCHOOL IN A LESS RESOURCED AREA,
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO
CONNECT TO A SCHOOL OR TO A
UNIVERSITY THAT HAS THE
RESOURCES.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY
TRANSFORMATIVE, SO WOULD BE
PROGRAM IN AHEAD WITH THE
NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE THAT'S
GOING TO BE LOOKING AT
PREDICTIVE BIOMARKERS FOR HEAD
AND NECK CANCERS, AND OF COURSE
IMPACT THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR.
NOW IT SO HAPPENS THESE THREE
INITIATIVES ACTUALLY FORM A
SENTENCE.
THEY'VE BEEN NOW PRIMED TO MOVE
AHEAD WITH IMPACT.
JUST HAPPENED TO ME.
[APPLAUSE]
AND TO MENTION WHERE
INTERSECTIONS AND THE MAGIC OF
INTERFACES, I CAN'T THINK OF A
MORE RELEVANT HERE -- AND
DR. SHEPLEY WOULD AGREE, THE
ROLE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AT
THE INTERSECTION OF PAIN
MANAGEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH,
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, IS
CRITICAL.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
YES, WE'RE ONLY TAPPING INTO A
SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE
POPULATION WHO CAN AFFORD DENTAL
CARE, BUT IT BEGINS A SYSTEM
WHERE WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
RECOGNIZE THAT A DRY MOUTH
CAUSED BY CHRONIC DRUG USE CAN'T
BE IGNORED BEYOND THE DENTAL
CHAIR.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THE REFERRALS
AND WE HAVE NOW A SURVEY THAT IS
JUST GOING TO COME FORTH WHERE
WE USE THE PRACTICE BASED
RESEARCH AND EFFORT TO ACTUALLY
SURVEY 7500 OF ITS MEMBERS
AROUND THE COUNTRY, DENTISTS,
PRACTICING DENTISTS.
IMPORTANT.
I JUST CAME BACK FROM BOGOTA
WHERE WE MET WITH LEADERS, CHRIS
FOX PAVED THE WAY FOR THIS.
IF WE DON'T CONNECT WITH THE
GLOBAL COMMUNITY IN A BIGGER WAY
AND LEAVE A LARGER FOOTPRINT OF
WHAT WE DO, NOT BECAUSE WE KNOW
IT ALL BUT BECAUSE WE NEED TO
LEARN FROM OUR INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY.
THE RESOURCES AND AVAILABILITY.
BECAUSE LOOK AT THE PREVALENCE
OF DISEASE ACROSS THE WORLD.
THIS HAS DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF
W.H.O. AND WE NOW HAVE A
RESOLUTION TO INCLUDE ORAL
HEALTHCARE AS PART OF THE
UNIVERSAL HEALTH PACKAGE.
WE HAVE A FOOTPRINT ALREADY,
PLANS ARE TO VERY SYSTEMATICALLY
AND VERY INTENTIONALLY, TO FOCUS
ON DISEASES LIKE NOMA, BUT
THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF ALLERGY
AND I FORECASTTIOUS DISEASE,
THIS IS THE MOST THREATENING
CONDITION, PREVENTABLE, IF
PICKED UP EARLY, CHILDREN FROM
UNDERSERVED AREAS, IN AFRICA
ESPECIALLY BUT ACROSS THE WORLD,
THAT IF THROUGH RINSES AND
ANTIBIOTICS CAN ACTUALLY LEAD TO
MITIGATION OF THE DISEASE.
OUR TRAINING IS STRONG.
WE'RE REVISITING EVERYTHING WE
DO WITH A NEW SET OF LENSES NOW,
RECOGNIZING THE NEED TO TRAIN A
WORKFORCE DIFFERENTLY FROM THE
WAY WE CONCEIVED TO BE 20 YEARS
AGO.
SO TOGETHER, REALLY, WITH THE
PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED IN THE PLAN,
IN THE REPORT, THE ORAL HEALTH
AND -- REPORT, HAVING A PLAN
THAT IS VERY STRATEGIC IN
THINKING, WE TAKE THAT NEXT STEP
AHEAD, THINK OF THE NEXT STEP.
IT SETS US FOR A PATH THEN FOR
ORAL HEALTH FOR ALL.
WE HAVE A YEAR FULL OF VERY
MEANINGFUL EVENTS.
COMING UP NEXT IS THE DEDICATED
SYMPOSIUM TO 25 YEARS OF FIBROUS
DYSPLASIA.
JANICE, I THINK YOU'RE
ORGANIZING THAT, AND IT'S A TRUE
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRANSLATION
FROM A VERY FOUNDATIONAL BASIC
SCIENCE APPROACH, ESTABLISHED BY
OUR BIOLOGY RESEARCHERS HERE AT
NIDCR TO A DRUG THAT ACTUALLY IS
APPROVED AND IS WORKING ON
PATIENTS.
I COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY
TO CELEBRATE.
THAT'S 25 YEARS THERE.
WE THEN BRING OUR TRAINEES
TOGETHER, 450-PLUS OF THEM
ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN A VIRTUALD
SHOWCASE THEIR WORK AND MAKE A
COMMITMENT TO THEM FOR THE
FUTURE.
THEN WE LINE UP ALL THESE OTHER
ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING AT
THE SAME TIME IN NEW ORLEANS AT
THE ADOCR MEETING WITH A SET OF
SYMPOSIA THAT HIGHLIGHT THE
LEGACY OF OUR SCIENCE AND COMING
FROM OUR EXTRAMURAL RESEARCHERS.
AND REALLY PROJECTING WHERE 25
YEARS WILL TAKE US.
ALL OF THIS MAKES I THINK FOR A
VERY SPECIAL YEAR TO A TIME WHEN
WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO 25 YEARS
OF TURNING DISCOVERY INTO HEALTH
FOR ALL.
THAT IS NIH'S MISSION, IT'S
CERTAINLY ONE WE EMBRACE.
I THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR
BEING HERE, AND FOR REALLY
MAKING THIS MORNING VERY
SPECIAL.
THANKS.
[APPLAUSE]
FOR OUR GUESTS, YOU'RE ALL
INVITED TO STAY.
WE ARE BOUND BY FEDERAL RULES TO
NOT BUY LUNCH, BUT WE DO HAVE A
RECEPTION AT THE END OF OUR
STAFF RECOGNITION, OR IS IT
RIGHT NOW?
NO, IT'S AFTER THE RECOGNITION
CEREMONY.
THIS IS TRADITIONAL FOR US.
IT'S A TIME WHEN OUR STAFF COME
TOGETHER AND ARE RECOGNIZED FOR
THEIR INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP
CONTRIBUTIONS.
THANK YOU, SPECIAL GUESTS.
YOU ALL MADE IT VERY, VERY
MEANINGFUL FOR US, AND OUR
PARTNERSHIP FOR THE NEXT 25
YEARS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE'VE RECORDED ALL OF WHAT YOU
SAID.
LAURIE, THANK YOU FOR MAKING
THIS TRIP.
APPRECIATE IT.
HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.
[APPLAUSE]