[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 605 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 605
Recognizing the 75th anniversary of the National Institute of Dental
and Craniofacial Research and its critical role in improving the
dental, oral, and craniofacial health of the United States through
research, training, and the dissemination of health information.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 20, 2024
Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Braun) submitted the following
resolution; which was considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 75th anniversary of the National Institute of Dental
and Craniofacial Research and its critical role in improving the
dental, oral, and craniofacial health of the United States through
research, training, and the dissemination of health information.
Whereas, in 1948, Congress and President Harry S. Truman created the National
Institute of Dental Research as a component of the National Institutes
of Health (referred to in this preamble as ``NIH''), in response to an
epidemic of tooth decay that adversely affected the oral health, overall
health, and military readiness of the United States;
Whereas, on October 21, 1998, Congress changed the name of the National
Institute of Dental Research to the National Institute of Dental and
Craniofacial Research (referred to in this preamble as ``NIDCR'') to
accurately reflect the support of NIDCR for both dental and craniofacial
research;
Whereas NIDCR is the primary dental, oral, and craniofacial biomedical and
behavioral research and research training organization in the United
States, advancing fundamental knowledge about dental, oral, and
craniofacial health and disease, disease prevention, early detection,
and treatment strategies to improve overall health for all individuals
and communities across the lifespan;
Whereas NIDCR is recognized by Congress, the NIH, oral health stakeholders, and
the biomedical research community as a leader of the oral health
research enterprise of the United States that supports research funding,
management, and scientific training across the United States;
Whereas NIDCR performs interdisciplinary research and translates results from
the laboratory to the clinic, by means of scientific excellence in
laboratory, clinical, behavioral, translational, and population-based
programs in support of the mission of the NIH, which is the premier
biomedical research agency in the world;
Whereas NIDCR responds urgently to critical public health needs such as the
COVID-19 pandemic, providing over $4,000,000 in fiscal year 2020 in
grant supplements to study SARS-CoV-2, develop novel viral detection
systems, and address critical needs of patients and oral health
practitioners;
Whereas NIDCR collaborates with academic institutions, industry partners, and
government agencies to disseminate information about discoveries to the
public;
Whereas the researchers at NIDCR pioneered the use of epidemiology and
preventive approaches to demonstrate that dental caries is an epidemic
disease and community water fluoridation is a safe, effective, and
economical way to prevent and reduce tooth decay;
Whereas NIDCR established--
(1) the Laboratory of Oral Medicine and the Laboratory of Microbiology
and Immunology to conduct research on the causes, prevention, and treatment
of periodontitis and other diseases of the soft tissues of the oral cavity;
(2) the Laboratory of Oral Biology and Physiology to conduct research
on the cell biology of secretory tissues and proteins;
(3) the Mineralized Tissue Research Branch to investigate skeletal
development and disorders;
(4) the Center for Integrative Biology and Infectious Diseases to
investigate pain, tissue regeneration, oral cancers, autoimmune illnesses,
salivary gland biology, and oral microbiota;
(5) the Center for Clinical Research to conduct clinical trials and
practice-based research and to investigate clinical technologies, oral
health disparities, and oral health for those with HIV/AIDS; and
(6) the National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse as a centralized
public resource on oral health topics;
Whereas, in 2000, NIDCR established the NIDCR Patient Advocates Forum to enhance
communication among patient groups and incorporate patient perspectives
in research planning, and continues to maintain active engagement with
the group;
Whereas NIDCR--
(1) launched the National Caries Program to prevent and reduce dental
caries;
(2) created the Epidemiology and Oral Disease Prevention Program to
investigate the national distribution of dental caries, periodontal
diseases, and other oral diseases and disorders;
(3) launched the Research and Action Program to Improve the Oral Health
of Older Americans and Other Adults at High Risk;
(4) established the first regional Dental Practice-Based Research
Network, to investigate pressing clinical issues, including the association
between bisphosphonates and osteonecrosis of the jaw, and methods for
treating cracked teeth and tooth hypersensitivity; and
(5) launched the FaceBase Consortium to compile the biological
instructions to build the human face and define the genetics underlying
developmental disorders such as cleft lip and palate;
Whereas NIDCR--
(1) opened the first multidisciplinary pain clinic devoted exclusively
to research;
(2) established major initiatives to support cutting-edge research on
temporomandibular disorders (referred to in this preamble as ``TMDs'');
(3) sponsored a technology assessment conference on the management of
TMDs;
(4) launched the Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk
Assessment clinical study to examine risk factors that contribute to the
development of TMDs;
(5) cosponsored the consensus study entitled ``Temporomandibular
Disorders: Priorities for Research and Care'' to help inform approaches to
advancing TMDs research and guide the development of evidence-based
treatment and clinical management of patients with TMDs;
(6) established a TMD Multi-Council Working Group to develop a roadmap
to strengthen the understanding of TMDs; and
(7) launched the national TMD Collaborative for Improving Patient-
Centered Translational Research to advance research, training, and improved
clinical care;
Whereas NIDCR sponsored a variety of scientific conferences, including Face of a
Child, the first national, multidisciplinary meeting on children and
oral health, and a consensus development conference, Dental Implants--
Benefit and Risk, to examine available data, suggest future research,
and draft guidelines for implant therapy;
Whereas NIDCR has made strategic investments in all areas of dental, oral, and
craniofacial research, which has led to many scientific advances,
including development of novel nanocomposites and self-healing dental
restorative materials, the Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Tissue
Regenerative Consortium, which was launched to develop methods for
regenerating functional tissues of the human dental, oral, and
craniofacial complex, and a NIDCR-sponsored symposium focusing on the
Science and Development of Autotherapies;
Whereas, in 1999, NIDCR introduced its Strategic Plan to Reduce Racial and
Ethnic Health Disparities, supporting research to end oral health
disparities and increase research and clinical workforce diversity, then
funded 5 Centers for Research to Reduce Oral Health Disparities, which
were among the first NIH centers focused on reducing health disparities;
Whereas, in collaboration with the Office of the Surgeon General, NIDCR
supported the 2000 Oral Health In America: A Report of the Surgeon
General, the first Surgeon General report dedicated solely to oral
health, and, in 2021, released the Oral Health in America: Advances and
Challenges report, examining progress on the oral health of the United
States and serving as a national call to action;
Whereas NIDCR released the NIDCR Strategic Plan: 2021-2026, which--
(1) articulates the vision of the NIH and identifies investments
designed to diminish disparities and yield the greatest impact for those
with dental and oral diseases;
(2) expanded collaborations and partnerships to accelerate new
discoveries, including examining the nerves in the jaw and
temporomandibular joint as part of the Restoring Joint Health and Function
to Reduce Pain Consortium;
(3) launched the Practice-based Research Integrating Multidisciplinary
Experiences in Dental Schools, to expand research training into dental
school clinics equipping future oral health practitioners with the
knowledge to carry out research; and
(4) released the Advancement of Head and Neck Cancer Early Detection
Research initiative to develop biomarkers and novel technologies for early
detection of malignant cells in order to halt oral cancer progression; and
Whereas NIDCR looks to the future of biomedical science by continuing to
support, discover, and develop cutting-edge approaches to improve the
dental, oral, craniofacial, and overall health of all people of the
United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) celebrates the 75th anniversary of the founding of the
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
(referred to in this resolution as ``NIDCR'') and the critical
role of NIDCR in advancing biomedical and behavioral research
and the mission of the National Institutes of Health, the
premier biomedical research agency in the world;
(2) commends NIDCR for its work to address the COVID-19
pandemic by investigating the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 in
dental settings, studying oral viral entry and infection,
methods to prevent transmission, replication, and shedding, and
supporting the development of the most promising treatments and
vaccines; and
(3) declares that NIDCR is a vital, venerable, and
essential component of the National Institutes of Health and
the overall public health and science strategy of the United
States.
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