Alexandria, VA – The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) is pleased to announce the program participants (mentees) for the sixth cohort of the AADOCR Mind the Future program:
- David Fraser, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
- Mohamed Hassan, Washington University in St. Louis
- Miaomiao Li, The Ohio State University
- Paula Ortega-Verdugo, University of California, Los Angeles
- Sudha Rajderkar, UT Health Houston
- Ligia Schmitd, University of Michigan
- Lakmali Silva, Harvard University
- Harim Tavares dos Santos, University at Buffalo
- Heather Taylor, Indiana University
- Jaqueline Vaz Vanini, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Manuela M. Viana Miguel, University of Kentucky
In 2020, AADOCR was awarded a five-year grant of more than $1.3 million by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) in response to FOA RFA-DE-19-007: NIDCR Mentoring Network to Support a Diverse Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research Workforce. The grant project dates were March 2020 through February 2025 (Grant No. 5UE5DE029439).
In July 2025, AADOCR announced that it would continue the program for a sixth year, thanks to the support of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
“CareQuest Institute is proud to partner with AADOCR to ensure that early-career researchers have the mentorship and support they need to thrive,” said Eric Tranby, Senior Director of Analytics and Data Insights at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. “Together, we’re investing in innovation and in the scientists whose work will help build a more equitable oral health care system and achieve better health outcomes.”
The primary goal of the AADOCR Mind the Future Program is to develop a sustainable, nationally recognized mentoring network that enhances the career development of early-career dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) researchers. The program is open to early-career faculty/investigators (postdoctoral or junior faculty) in academic and research institutions who wish to advance their careers in dental, oral and craniofacial health research. Principal investigators are IADR/AADOCR CEO Christopher Fox, Effie Ioannidou of the University of California San Francisco, and David Drake of the University of Iowa.
About AADOCR
The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being. AADOCR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. AADOCR is the largest division of IADR. Learn more at www.aadocr.org.
About CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit championing a more equitable future where every person can reach their full potential through excellent health. We do this through our work in philanthropy, analytics and data insights, health transformation, policy and advocacy, and education as well as our leadership in dental benefits and innovation advancements. We collaborate with thought leaders, health care providers, patients, and local, state, and federal stakeholders, to accelerate oral health care transformation and create a system designed for everyone. To learn more, visit carequest.org and follow us on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.