Oral Health Research Education Grants (R25) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Oral Health Research Education Grants (R25) opportunity?

The Oral Health Research Education Grants (R25) opportunity is an NIH discretionary grant program intended to strengthen how research and scientific thinking are integrated into dental education. The emphasis is on making scientific evidence, discovery, and scholarly habits a routine, visible part of training for future oral health professionals rather than an optional add-on.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed for this opportunity is PAR 06 506.

Which agency sponsors this grant?

This opportunity is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What funding mechanism does this opportunity use?

The funding instrument is a grant (Funding Instrument: Grant).

What is the overall purpose or core idea behind this program?

The core idea is to move beyond treating research as a separate or optional component of dental training and instead weave research literacy, evidence, and scientific reasoning into the everyday curriculum and clinical education experience. The program is designed to help build a sustained pipeline of learners who are more likely to pursue oral health research careers and formal research training.

Who is this program trying to impact?

The program is aimed at learners in dental education and related training pathways, including dental students and undergraduates, and it also anticipates engagement continuing into postgraduate specialty training. It also emphasizes motivating both students and faculty to participate in broadly defined scholarly work and stay actively engaged with current science.

What are the three main goals that supported projects are expected to focus on?

Projects are expected to focus on three main goals: (1) strengthening the research component of dental education by making science and research literacy an active, ongoing part of the curriculum, (2) enhancing the use of basic and clinical research findings in clinical training so students can connect research to patient-care decision-making, and (3) encouraging dental students and undergraduates to consider careers in oral health research through early exposure, mentorship, and structured research opportunities.

How should research be integrated into dental education under this FOA?

The FOA emphasizes repeated, developmental integration rather than one-time exposure. It envisions research and scientific thinking as a continuing part of the curriculum and clinical training experience, with activities that reinforce evidence use and research literacy over time.

What does the FOA say about connecting research to clinical decision-making?

It highlights strengthening the use of both basic and clinical research findings in clinical training so students can connect discoveries from laboratories, clinical studies, and behavioral research to real clinical reasoning and patient-care decisions.

Does the program encourage students to pursue research careers?

Yes. A central intent is to encourage dental students and undergraduates to consider oral health research careers, with an emphasis on early exposure, mentorship, and structured opportunities that make research pathways feel realistic and attainable. It also aims to increase the likelihood of students pursuing research careers, academic appointments, advanced research degrees, and formal research training.

What kinds of activities are suggested or implied as a fit for this program?

Examples described or implied in the FOA include integrating evidence-based dentistry across courses, pairing students with active investigators, hosting research-focused seminars and journal clubs, creating mentored research experiences, and building structured research education modules that teach learners how to interpret data and translate findings into clinical reasoning.

What does NIH mean by "broad scholarly engagement" in this context?

Based on the description, it refers to motivating students and faculty to participate in widely defined scholarly work and to actively monitor and engage with the latest science. The intent is to build habits of ongoing engagement with research and evidence, not just short-term participation.

What is the expected role of researchers in the educational environment?

The FOA specifically envisions clinical, basic, and behavioral science researchers being visible and active in dental training. This includes interacting with students across all four years of dental school and continuing into postgraduate specialty training, suggesting programs that create sustained contact with research mentors and research culture over time.

Is a plan for Responsible Conduct of Research required?

Yes. The announcement requires applicants to include a plan for Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research, reinforcing that research education includes ethics, integrity, and appropriate scientific practice.

What is the CFDA number and program area listed for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.121, Oral Diseases and Disorders Research.

Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?

No. The information provided states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

How much funding is available and what is the maximum award size?

The estimated total funding listed is $800,000, and the award ceiling is $150,000.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include a wide range of U.S.-based organizations, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities), and other organizations as allowed under the announcement's additional eligibility language.

Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?

No. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.

Can an organization submit more than one application?

Yes. Applicants may submit more than one application as long as each proposed project is scientifically distinct. This allows an institution to propose separate programs if they are not duplicative and each has a distinct scientific concept.

What were the key dates listed for this opportunity?

The source record lists a posted date of August 4, 2006, an original closing date of June 2, 2009, a current closing date of September 7, 2009, and an archive date of October 7, 2009.

Where was the full announcement available?

The full announcement was available via the NIH grants guide page linked in the source data.