Dental Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network: Administrative and Resource Center

The National Institutes of Health, through the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, is forecasting a funding opportunity for the creation of an Administrative and Resource Center under the Dental Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network. This program is designed to strengthen practice-based research by supporting the infrastructure necessary to coordinate multiple observational studies and clinical trials, focusing on the integration of oral health care into medical care as part of a broader whole-person health approach. The opportunity is listed under the Assistance Listing 93.121 for Oral Diseases and Disorders Research and will be structured as a cooperative agreement, allowing for close collaboration between the awardee and the federal agency. The Administrative and Resource Center will serve as a central hub for organizing the network’s functions. Its responsibilities will include recruiting and retaining practitioners across multiple U.S. geographic regions, managing a single Institutional Review Board for research oversight, and ensuring training for practitioners and clinic staff on study-specific protocols. Additionally, the center will coordinate the deployment of studies across different practice nodes throughout the United States. This centralized support will be critical for ensuring consistency, compliance, and efficiency across all research sites. The program is expected to support one award. While specific funding amounts, award ceiling, and award floor have not been disclosed in the forecast, the opportunity emphasizes capacity building and resource management rather than direct clinical research funding. The Administrative and Resource Center will operate in tandem with a separate Coordinating Center, which will be the subject of a companion Notice of Funding Opportunity. Together, the two entities will oversee the planning, implementation, and monitoring of research studies conducted under the practice-based network. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as for-profit organizations (including small businesses), nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status, public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities, Native American tribal governments and organizations, and special district governments. Additional eligible entities include faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories and possessions, and agencies of the federal government. This broad eligibility reflects NIH’s intent to foster collaboration across diverse institutions and communities. The forecasted timeline indicates that the Notice of Funding Opportunity is expected to be posted on March 2, 2026, with applications due by May 25, 2026. Awards are anticipated to be made by April 30, 2027, with projects starting on May 1, 2027. No pre-application deadlines such as a letter of intent or concept paper are listed at this stage. Applications are not being accepted yet, as this is a forecast intended to give potential applicants sufficient time to prepare partnerships and proposals. The official contact for this opportunity is Dr. Dena Fischer, DDS, MSD, MS, who can be reached at 301-594-4876 or via email at dena.fischer@nih.gov. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the forthcoming full Notice of Funding Opportunity once released and to begin developing collaborative research teams and infrastructure plans in anticipation of the open application period.