By John Wallace

VCU School of Dentistry is now ranked 17th among all U.S. dental schools in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR). In 2021, the school received more than $4.8 million from the NIH to advance a wide range of oral health and biomedical research. 

In 2012, the school ranked 42nd among all schools of dentistry.

“In spite of the challenges we’ve faced due to COVID, last year was exceptional for the school’s research mission,” says Iain Morgan, Ph.D., Edmund G. Brodie Professor and director of the Philips Institute for Oral Health Research at VCU School of Dentistry. “Our steady progress is the result of nine years of focus into expanding research at the school.”

VCU School of Dentistry conducts advanced biomedical research as well as clinical, translational and epidemiological research to improve oral health.

While many may not initially associate dental schools with advanced biomedical research, oral health is intrinsically tied to overall health and is driven by the same biological processes impacting diseases such as cancer, heart disease and a wide range of infectious diseases. The field of dentistry is also on the cutting-edge of materials research and epidemiology. 

The Philips Institute for Oral Health Research was established at VCU School of Dentistry in 1999 thanks to $5 million in philanthropic funding, including a $1.25 million gift made by John F. Philips, D.D.S., a 1969 alumnus, in honor of his father, who died of throat cancer. In 2011, former VCU School of Dentistry Dean David Sarrett, D.D.S., made the expansion of research a priority at the school and recruited Dr. Morgan as full-time director of the Philips Institute in 2013. Since then, the school’s focus on research has grown exponentially. 

The majority of the research at VCU School of Dentistry occurs at the Philips Institute where it is split into four distinct programs, including Cancer, Bacterial Infection and Inflammation, Bioengineering and Oral Health Services. A number of faculty, including Morgan, are research program members associated with VCU’s National Cancer Institute-designated Massey Cancer Center. The school also conducts research testing new dentistry materials and technology in both a translational and clinical setting, as well as epidemiological research associated with public policy impacting oral health. Students can enroll in several advanced degree programs, including an M.S in microbiology and immunology, a  Ph.D. in oral health research, and a D.D.S./Ph.D. in oral health research dual degree. A summer research program is also offered for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. 

“Our ascent in these rankings is truly a testament to the determination and commitment of everyone engaged in research at the school,” says Clara Spatafore, D.D.S., M.S., interim dean at VCU School of Dentistry and chair of the combined Department of Endodontics and Oral Diagnostic Sciences. “I’m confident this momentum will continue to build and VCU will be a world leader in oral health research.”

Visit VCU School of Dentistry to learn more about the groundbreaking research occurring throughout the school. 

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