# Dental-Biomedical Engineering Scholars Training (D-Best) Program

> **NIH NIH R90** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2024 · $100,496

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY 
Columbia University is uniquely positioned to provide advanced dual training of the next generation of dental 
scientists in dentistry and biomedical engineering, to prepare them to lead the transformation of the daily practice 
of dentistry towards personalized and precision treatments. Through strategic investment over the last 10 years, 
Columbia University has become the place for biomedical engineering research training of dentists. The College 
of Dental Medicine (CDM) has created a new 15,000 sq ft Center for Precision Dentistry that transforms the 
traditional dental practice into a digitalized hub that tracks clinical activities in real time. Each of the 48 
operatories is able to track patients, providers and dental instruments usage and location. In addition, Columbia 
CDM is one of the first schools in the country to fully integrate dental and medical electronic records through 
EPIC, which provides an integrated patient’s health record. Moreover, the Department of Biomedical 
Engineering (DBME), established in 2000, has quickly risen to become one of the top 10 ranked graduate 
programs in Biomedical Engineering, and leads the nation in funding per faculty, with renowned strength in 
foundational areas (bioimaging, biomaterials, biomechanics) as well as in frontier research areas (cell and tissue 
engineering, neuroengineering, synthetic biology and deep learning). We propose here a new Dental-Biomedical Engineering Scholars Training (D-BEST) Program that brings together leading biomedical 
engineering researchers and dental clinicians and scholars at Columbia University. This unique dual-degree
DDS/PhD training program will integrate dental and biomedical engineering research training of dental 
scientists in four key thematic areas: 1) Stem Cells and Regenerative Engineering, 2) Craniofacial Imaging and 
Biomechanics, 3) Big Data and Deep Learning for Dental Diagnostics, and 4) Detection and Modeling of Oral 
Diseases. The two tracks of D-BEST are (i) Pre-Doc – an 8-year dual degree program in dentistry (DDS) and 
in Biomedical Engineering (PhD), and (ii) Post-Doc – post-doctoral research training in biomedical engineering 
to US or foreign trained dentists. Over the 5 years, we plan to have 24 pre-doctoral slots and 7 post-doctoral 
slots with each trainee staying on the grant for 3 years. In addition to the highly successful Summer Health 
Professions Education Program (SHPEP), we are partnering with the School of Dental Medicine at Ponce Health 
Sciences University in Puerto Rico to enhance the diversity of the trainee pool and ensure participation of 
trainees from traditionally under-represented groups in the D-BEST program. This new T90/R90 training program 
will provide a unique opportunity to promote, enhance, and deepen multidisciplinary dental research. Our long-term goal, above and beyond this 5-year grant, is to continue with a productive and sustainable program for this 
integrated training of dental s...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10880417
- **Project number:** 5R90DE033637-02
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Sunil Wadhwa
- **Activity code:** R90 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $100,496
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10880417

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10880417, Dental-Biomedical Engineering Scholars Training (D-Best) Program (5R90DE033637-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10880417. Licensed CC0.

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