Congress passed a resolution recognizing 75 years of contributions by the NIDCR to oral health research.
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution recognizing the 75th anniversary of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
The resolution recognized the NIDCR’s critical role in improving the dental, oral, and craniofacial health of the United States through research, training, and the dissemination of health information.
In 1948, Congress and President Harry S. Truman created the National Institute of Dental Research as a component of the National Institutes of Health. This was in response to an epidemic of tooth decay that adversely affected the oral health, overall health, and military readiness of the United States.
The name was changed to NIDCR in 1998 to more accurately reflect the importance of craniofacial research.
The resolution was introduced by Senators Ben Cardin, D-Md, and Mike Braun, R-Ind.
The Senate also recognized the role that the NIDCR played during the pandemic by investigating its transmissibility in dental settings and supporting the development of treatments and vaccines.
The resolution also declared that the 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.”