Causal Hypotheses on the Oral-Systemic Health Impacts of Human Behaviors among People with Chronic Conditions

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for innovative research on the factors that cause human behaviors and the oral-systemic health impacts of those behaviors to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability among people with chronic conditions. Causal hypotheses may include biological, biopsychosocial, congenital, environmental, interpersonal, neurological, psychological, and comorbidity factors that—individually, sequentially, or in combination—contribute to human behaviors and oral-systemic health outcomes, with impacts that may be direct or traceably distal. Applications that propose projects to develop or refine causal hypotheses, e.g., causal explanation and causal inference—rather than statistical association, also are encouraged. Project results should be poised for clinical trials translation to prevent, treat, and manage dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) and related conditions. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. Investigators with expertise and insights into this area of behavioral, biological, biopsychosocial, public, and social sciences are encouraged to consider applying for this new NOFO. In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in dental, oral, craniofacial, and systemic health over the life course, including care and services, will be encouraged, and these investigators also should begin to consider applying. NIDCR is authorized to forecast this opportunity under the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C §§ 241 and 284) and federal regulations (42 CFR Part 52 and 2 CFR Part 200).