Total NIH support to US dental schools, 2005-2009

This study compared total NIH research funding across US dental institutions from 2005 to 2009. Utilizing the online NIH RePORT, we obtained comprehensive award data for US dental schools by funding NIH Institutes/Centers (ICs). Fifty dental schools were awarded a total of $974.393 million, 69.3% from NIDCR and 30.7% from 21 other ICs. These provided the majority of support to 12 schools. Greater than 50% of non-NIDCR support came from 4 ICs. The median dental school NIH portfolio was $14.572 million, with a minimum of $0.241 million and a maximum of $88.609 million. Forty-six schools received $544.899 million for R01 awards. Thirty-five schools were awarded $100 million in research training and career development grants. Several dramatic differences are found for dental schools' rankings based on total NIH dollars compared with NIDCR-only support. Dollars from ICs other than NIDCR increased 34.6% between 2005 and 2009. Grants to US dental institutions comprised 50% or less of total NIDCR awards globally from 2005 through 2009. Funds received from all NIH ICs are an objective metric for evaluation of the research performance of dental schools. NIDCR has played a diminishing role in funding research at US dental schools between 2005 and 2009.