ADA News

Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children (the Foundation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry) is accepting applications for three grant programs.

Applications for HSHC Access to Care, Oral Health Research and Future Dental Researcher Fellowship grants are due Sept. 1.

The intent of HSHC grants and programs is to have a positive impact on the oral health of at least five million children over the next five years.

• Access to Care Grants of up to $20,000 for one year are available for programs that provide dental care to underserved children.
  
  The matching/challenge grants can be used to cover costs of clinic supplies and instruments, patient/parent education materials, dental care supplies, education and/or outreach to recruit dentists or other activity with clear, direct impact on child oral care.
  
  HSHC will give special consideration to programs that have demonstrated success and/or have potential for replication in other communities. Initiatives demonstrating collaboration with other institutions and organizations will be given priority consideration.

• Oral Health Research Grants are multi-year awards of up to $100,000 per year for three years and can be applied to research initiatives that are consistent with AAPD's research agenda, including transmission, etiology, risk assessment, early detection, prevention and management of caries; caries management using antimicrobials, fluorides and remineralizing agents; disparities and barriers to accessing dental care; development of a national databank on pediatric dental issues; and efficacy of infant oral health (i.e., first dental visit by age 12 months).
  
  HSHC will give special consideration to research projects designed to better understand dental caries and its impact on child oral health and/or to evaluate performance of dental care programs targeting underserved and limited access children.

• The HSHC/AAPD Future Dental Researcher Fellowship pilot initiative will provide one qualified investigator with up to $75,000 per year for three years. The fellowship will support the careers of third-year investigators focusing their research on the study of dental care programs targeting underserved and limited access child populations.

Guidelines, requirements and application instructions are available on the HSHC Web site: www.healthysmileshealthychildren.org.

Beginning July 1, HSHC will fund five Access to Care Grants totaling $75,264 for initiatives that will have a positive impact on more than 238,000 children over the next five years. A list of winners and their programs is posted online at www.healthysmileshealthychildren.org.