Dental Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network: Coordinating Center

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is planning to release a Notice of Funding Opportunity to support practice-based research in dental primary care. This forecasted funding opportunity, identified as RFA-DE-27-004, is focused on establishing a Coordinating Center within a Dental Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN). The intent of this effort is to promote and expand practice-based research that integrates oral health care into broader medical care, aligning with the concept of whole-person health. The Coordinating Center will serve as the backbone for the network, providing centralized infrastructure to support multiple observational studies and clinical trials. The Coordinating Center will manage a network membership database and oversee data management systems that utilize modern and flexible technologies for electronic data capture. A notable expectation is the ability to collect research participant data independent of in-office visits, enabling broader participation and streamlined study execution. This Coordinating Center will work in conjunction with a separate Administrative and Resource Center funded under a companion Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applicants with expertise in data coordination, clinical research, and practice-based settings are encouraged to prepare for this competition. The funding mechanism for this opportunity will be a cooperative agreement. This structure indicates that NIH will have substantial involvement in the project, providing oversight and coordination with the awardee. Although the total program funding, award ceiling, and award floor are not specified in this forecast, NIH expects to issue one award under this announcement. As this is an early forecast, financial details will be published in the final Notice of Funding Opportunity when released. Eligible applicants for this program include a broad range of entities: state governments, county and city governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities, Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, public and private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations including small businesses, and regional organizations. Additionally, U.S. territories and possessions, faith-based and community-based organizations, and eligible agencies of the federal government are listed as eligible to apply. This broad eligibility ensures that both academic institutions and community-based organizations can participate in supporting the research network. The timeline for this funding opportunity follows NIH’s standard multi-year cycle for forecasted opportunities. The forecasted posting date is March 2, 2026, with an estimated application due date of June 5, 2026. NIH anticipates issuing the award on April 30, 2027, with funded projects beginning May 1, 2027. As this is a forecast notice, applications are not yet being accepted. Potential applicants are encouraged to use this advance notice to build collaborations and plan responsive proposals. The primary point of contact for this opportunity is Dr. Dena Fischer, DDS, MSD, MS, who can be reached by phone at 301-594-4876 or via email at dena.fischer@nih.gov. Interested parties should monitor the NIH and Grants.gov websites for the official release of the Notice of Funding Opportunity in 2026, which will provide full details on application requirements, review criteria, and funding amounts. This early engagement window is intended to provide ample time for applicants to prepare and align their projects with NIH priorities in oral health research.