Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DE 10 004
Apply for RFA DE 10 004
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Increasing the Service Life of Dental Resin Composites (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 10, 2009 and posted on Sep 1, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 13, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Special district governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments County governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Independent school districts.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity "Increasing the Service Life of Dental Resin Composites (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DE-10-004) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement administered through the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) under CFDA 93.121 (Oral Diseases and Disorders Research). Its central aim is to extend how long dental resin composite restorations last in real-world use. The program is grounded in the practical clinical problem that resin composite fillings can fail over time, often because of material breakdown and the development of secondary caries (decay that forms around or under an existing restoration). The initiative is meant to push research beyond basic material performance in ideal settings and toward a clearer understanding of why restorations degrade in the mouth and how that degradation contributes to recurrent decay.
Scientifically, the opportunity focuses on two big, connected drivers of failure. The first is degradation from physical and environmental stressors in the oral cavity, such as mechanical loading from chewing, thermal cycling, moisture, salivary enzymes, changes in pH, and other chemical exposures that can weaken or alter composite materials and the tooth-restoration interface over time. The second is the interaction between the composition of dental resin composites and oral biofilms, meaning the complex microbial communities that attach to tooth and restoration surfaces. The FOA emphasizes the idea that material composition can influence how biofilm forms and behaves, and that the resulting biofilm activity can accelerate breakdown, promote marginal leakage, or otherwise create conditions favorable to secondary caries. Applicants are therefore encouraged to investigate the mechanisms linking material chemistry, oral environmental conditions, and biofilm-mediated processes to clinical failure.
A key theme is multidisciplinary research. NIDCR is signaling interest in teams and approaches that bring together expertise from dentistry, materials science, polymer chemistry, microbiology, biofilm research, mechanical engineering, and clinical research. In addition to improving the materials themselves, the initiative also seeks better ways to assess clinical success. That includes developing or refining methods, metrics, and testing strategies that more accurately predict how a resin composite restoration will perform over time in the mouth, rather than relying only on simplified laboratory tests that may not capture real degradation pathways. The FOA also leaves room for work aimed at improving current resin composite systems and/or creating entirely new restorative materials that are more resistant to degradation and less supportive of cariogenic biofilm activity.
In terms of funding structure, this announcement uses the NIH R01 mechanism, which is the standard investigator-initiated research project grant format. NIDCR planned to commit about $3,000,000 in total costs in FY2010 to support meritorious projects under this FOA and a related announcement (RFA-DE-10-005). The expected number of awards was approximately 3 to 5 R01 grants, depending on application quality and the availability of funds. Budget limits are clearly defined: applicants could request no more than $250,000 per year in direct costs, with a maximum of $1,000,000 in direct costs over a project period of up to four years. The application also had a strict length constraint for the research plan: the R01 Research Plan section in the PHS398 format (Items 3-5) could not exceed 12 pages total, including any tables, figures, graphs, diagrams, and charts, which effectively forces applicants to present a focused and well-justified plan.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic and non-domestic organizations. Eligible applicants listed include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), various units of government (state, county, city/township, special district), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, independent school districts, Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), and other tribal organizations. The announcement also explicitly includes additional categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions, as well as foreign (non-U.S.) organizations. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. On the investigator side, the FOA invites any individuals with the needed skills, knowledge, and resources to apply through an eligible institution, and it explicitly encourages applications from individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and from individuals with disabilities.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted September 1, 2009, with an original closing date of January 4, 2010, later extended to January 13, 2010, and it was archived February 13, 2010. The full announcement was made available through the NIH Grants Guide, and the contact listed for access or linking problems was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster. Overall, the FOA is best understood as a targeted effort to reduce restoration failure by connecting fundamental mechanisms of material degradation and biofilm interaction to clinically meaningful outcomes, while also encouraging better predictive tools and next-generation restorative solutions that can realistically hold up longer in the oral environment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Increasing the Service Life of Dental Resin Composites (R01)".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA/RFA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-DE-10-004.
Which agency is offering and administering this opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement administered through the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR).
What CFDA program does this fall under?
This announcement is under CFDA 93.121, titled Oral Diseases and Disorders Research.
What is the overall purpose of this FOA?
The central aim is to extend the real-world service life of dental resin composite restorations by improving understanding of why composite restorations degrade in the mouth and how that degradation contributes to clinical failure, including secondary caries.
What real-world clinical problem is this FOA trying to address?
The FOA targets the practical problem that resin composite fillings can fail over time, often due to material breakdown and the development of secondary caries (decay that forms around or under an existing restoration).
What does "secondary caries" mean in the context of this opportunity?
In this FOA, secondary caries refers to decay that forms around or beneath an existing restoration, which can be linked to marginal leakage, biofilm activity, and degradation at the tooth-restoration interface.
What are the two major drivers of failure highlighted by the FOA?
The FOA emphasizes two connected drivers:
- Degradation from physical and environmental stressors in the oral cavity (for example, chewing forces, temperature changes, moisture, enzymes, pH shifts, and chemical exposures).
- Interactions between resin composite composition and oral biofilms (microbial communities on teeth/restorations) that can accelerate breakdown and create conditions favorable to secondary caries.
What kinds of oral stressors or conditions does the FOA call out as relevant to degradation?
The FOA specifically references stressors and conditions such as mechanical loading from chewing, thermal cycling, moisture, salivary enzymes, changes in pH, and other chemical exposures that can weaken or alter composite materials and the tooth-restoration interface over time.
How does the FOA describe the role of oral biofilms?
The FOA highlights that material composition can influence how biofilm forms and behaves. In turn, biofilm activity may accelerate material breakdown, promote marginal leakage, and/or otherwise create conditions that favor secondary caries.
What kinds of research questions or mechanisms is NIDCR trying to encourage?
Applicants are encouraged to investigate mechanisms linking:
- Material chemistry and composition,
- Oral environmental conditions (stressors present in the mouth), and
- Biofilm-mediated processes,
to the clinical failure of resin composite restorations.
Is this FOA focused only on ideal laboratory performance?
No. A stated goal is to push research beyond simplified or idealized testing and toward understanding how and why restorations degrade in real oral conditions, and how those processes relate to clinically meaningful outcomes like restoration failure and recurrent decay.
Does the FOA encourage multidisciplinary teams?
Yes. A key theme is multidisciplinary research, bringing together expertise spanning areas such as dentistry, materials science, polymer chemistry, microbiology, biofilm research, mechanical engineering, and clinical research.
Does the FOA include interest in developing better assessment methods for clinical success?
Yes. In addition to improving restorative materials, the FOA seeks better ways to assess clinical success by developing or refining methods, metrics, and testing strategies that more accurately predict long-term performance in the mouth.
Does the FOA allow projects that improve existing composites as well as projects that create new materials?
Yes. The FOA leaves room for work aimed at improving current resin composite systems and/or creating entirely new restorative materials designed to be more resistant to degradation and less supportive of cariogenic biofilm activity.
What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses the NIH R01 mechanism (Research Project Grant).
How much total funding did NIDCR plan to commit?
NIDCR planned to commit approximately $3,000,000 in total costs in FY2010 to support meritorious projects under this FOA and a related announcement (RFA-DE-10-005).
How many awards were expected?
The expected number of awards was approximately 3 to 5 R01 grants, depending on application quality and the availability of funds.
What is the maximum budget allowed per year?
Applicants could request no more than $250,000 per year in direct costs.
What is the maximum total direct cost budget over the entire project?
The maximum is $1,000,000 in direct costs over the entire project period.
What is the maximum project period (project length)?
The project period may be up to four years.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Is there a page limit for the application research plan?
Yes. The R01 Research Plan section in the PHS398 format (Items 3-5) could not exceed 12 pages total, including any tables, figures, graphs, diagrams, and charts.
What application format is referenced for the Research Plan page limit?
The FOA references the PHS398 format, with the 12-page limit applying to Items 3-5 of the R01 Research Plan.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many domestic and non-domestic organizations, including:
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status
- Small businesses
- For-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses)
- Units of government (state, county, city/township, special district)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Independent school districts
- Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and other tribal organizations
- U.S. territories or possessions
- Foreign (non-U.S.) organizations
- Eligible federal agencies
- Regional organizations
- Faith-based or community-based organizations
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Hispanic-serving institutions
- Tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs)
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes foreign (non-U.S.) organizations as eligible applicants.
Who is eligible to serve as the investigator/PD/PI?
The FOA invites any individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources to apply through an eligible institution.
Does the FOA encourage applications from underrepresented groups?
Yes. The FOA explicitly encourages applications from individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and from individuals with disabilities.
When was this FOA posted?
The opportunity was posted on September 1, 2009.
What was the application deadline?
The original closing date was January 4, 2010, and it was later extended to January 13, 2010.
What does it mean that the FOA is archived?
The FOA was archived on February 13, 2010, indicating it is no longer an active, open solicitation under the original announcement.
Where was the full announcement made available?
The full announcement was made available through the NIH Grants Guide.
Who is listed as the contact for access or linking problems?
The contact listed for access or linking problems was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.
How should this FOA be understood at a high level?
At a high level, this FOA is a targeted effort to reduce resin composite restoration failure by connecting material degradation mechanisms and biofilm interactions to clinically meaningful outcomes, while also encouraging improved predictive tools and next-generation restorative solutions that can hold up longer in the oral environment.
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