This is one of the largest grants ever made by the NIDCR, and the largest NIH grant ever received by NYU.
Dr. Michael C. Alfano, dean of the NYU College of Dentistry, said "Dentists usually work as solo practitioners, not in groups like physicians. In addition, most dentists are not closely linked to hospitals with their related network of support systems that help facilitate clinical research in medicine.
"That is where the genius of a practice-based network comes in: the NYU project, known as the PEARL (Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research and Learning) Network, has an extremely large number of practitioners, and the largest and most diversified patient population in the nation, permitting us to knit these dentists together for research projects that can deliver powerful solutions to the day-to-day problems confronted in dental offices. It bridges the gap that has traditionally existed between practicing dentists and academia, and has the potential to transform the way dentistry is practiced. This award places NYU College of Dentistry in the vanguard of efforts to improve the practice of healthcare in the United States. "
Dr. Jonathan Ship, the PEARL Network's principal investigator and chair, said, "The PEARL Network seeks to organize, train, inspire, and facilitate a network of dental practitioners to conduct research of immediate relevance to the profession and the public. This is the first time that the NIH has allocated funding for clinical research that directly involves dental practitioners from study concept initiation through study completion."
Traditionally there has been a void in clinical dentistry, explained Dr. Ship. "Many dentists are frustrated by having to make clinical decisions everyday in practice that do not have a sufficient scientific basis. For example, "What should be the appropriate follow-up interval for a specific procedure or disease? Is it necessary to use a particular course of antibiotics? "Is an over-the-counter medication as effective as a prescription?" The NIDCR awarded three seven-year grants, totaling $75 million, to create three regional networks dedicated to expanding the evidence base in dentistry. The NYU College of Dentistry was selected to create and lead the regional network for the east coast of the United States. Each regional network will conduct approximately 15 to 20 short-term clinical trials over the next seven years, comparing the benefits of different dental procedures, dental materials, and prevention strategies under a range of patient and clinical conditions. The networks also will perform anonymous chart reviews, as allowed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), to generate data on disease, treatment trends, and the prevalence of less common oral conditions.
NYU's PEARL Network draws its strength from a distinguished team of NYU senior scientists, the Bluestone Center for Clinical Research (the largest center of its kind in any dental school in the world), a world-class data coordinating center (EMMES Corporation in Rockville, MD), the largest dental marketing and practice management firm in the world (Levin Group in Owens Mills, MD), and a broad network of investigators and consultants.
The PEARL Network is divided into four Cores, each of which is directed by a senior NYU dental faculty member, who is also a co-investigator:
Founded in 1865, New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) is the third oldest and the largest dental school in the United States, educating more than 8 percent of all dentists. NYUCD has a significant global reach and provides a level of national and international diversity among its students that is unmatched by any other dental school.
New York University, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, was established in 1831 and is one of America's leading research universities. It is one of the largest private universities, it has one of the largest contingents of international students, and it sends more students to study abroad than any other college or university in the U.S. Through its 14 schools and colleges, NYU conducts research and provides education in the arts and sciences, law, medicine, business, dentistry, education, nursing, the cinematic and dramatic arts, music, public administration, social work, and continuing and professional studies, among other areas.
N-303, 2004-05