NIH-funded training grant engages dentists in researching periodontitis in Jamaica

Understanding periodontitis and associated diseases in Jamaica is the focus of a new international NIH-funded training grant led by Dr. Patricia Diaz, Sunstar Robert J. Genco Endowed Chair, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor, director of the UB Microbiome Center, Department of Oral Biology.

The study aims to examine the prevalence, clinical presentation and biological determinants of aggressive periodontitis in Jamaican adolescents. No study has been previously conducted in the Caribbean to assess the disease's prevalence, yet knowledge of causes and treatments is needed to advance oral health in Jamaica.

Dentists trained in clinical research are needed, too. Together, the UB SDM and University of the West Indies Mona School of Dentistry are sparking interest among dental graduates in Jamaica who can carry out this critical research. Dr. Diaz and Dr. Lindsay Chakan, director, Office of Research Support, recently traveled to Jamaica to recruit recent dental graduates interested in learning how to conduct clinical research. During the trip, they presented on the NIDCR-FIC D43 Training Program to D4 and D5 dental students studying at the University of the West Indies.

Trainees have the opportunity to take courses, receive hands-on training in clinical research, and gain expertise in clinical research methods, study design, and regulations and procedures. The program involves six months in the U.S. working with a member of the School of Dental Medicine faculty. 

The goal? To generate interest in clinical research to better understand oral health problems in Jamaica and train the next generation of clinician-scientists and academicians. 

Read more about the training grant on the UB Microbiome website.