# A Mouthful of History

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · 2024 · $261,402

## Abstract

Project Summary
The oral health field is rapidly changing. There is now more opportunity than ever to join the oral health
workforce as a dental, dental allied, or dental, oral and craniofacial (DOC) research professional to help
transform the landscape of oral health care. Yet, even with improved opportunities, social and economic
inequality, structural discrimination, and a fragmented health care system have resulted in continued disparities
and in access to the profession for marginalized groups. The purpose of the proposed project is to establish
high levels of oral health literacy that is meant to translate into improved overall health for all individuals and
communities across the lifespan by creating accessible and easily disseminated educational modules that
combine the health sciences, STEM, and the humanities. Through exploring historical case studies,
investigating advancements in dental technology, learning about trailblazers in dentistry from diverse
backgrounds, and understanding how cultures have regarded oral health throughout history P-12 learners will
gain an understanding of how oral health care has progressed and how they too can fit into the story of the
profession, whether that means becoming better patients through learning about proper oral health care or by
starting on the path to join the dental profession after learning about its importance, inclusivity, and impact on
the world around them with these modules. Modules tailored to different grade levels will ensure that learners
are not only receiving developmentally appropriate materials, but that they have opportunities to reengage with
the modules at various points along their educational trajectories, reinforcing awareness of the pathways to the
dental, dental allied, and DOC research professions, continuing enrichment of personal oral health practices,
and how they can one day advance the field of dentistry even further as future DOC researchers. Through
three specific aims, learners will gain an understanding of how oral health care has progressed and impacted
the world around them, as well as how they too can fit into the story of dentistry and oral health: Aim 1.
Develop educational modules exploring the history of oral health care and the dental profession that
provide integral context to the past, present, and future of professional dentistry; dental public health;
equity and diversity; and DOC research. Aim 2. Disseminate educational modules to P-12 audiences.
Aim 3. Evaluate the impact of the educational modules.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10873966
- **Project number:** 5R25GM150130-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- **Principal Investigator:** Patrick Cutter
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $261,402
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10873966

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10873966, A Mouthful of History (5R25GM150130-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10873966. Licensed CC0.

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