Accelerating Interventions for Craniofacial Diseases and Disorders via DSPP Scholar Training at Michigan

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ABSTRACT Craniofacial diseases and disorders (CDD) are common birth defects with significant physical, psychological, and financial ramifications on the affected, their families, and their society. The multidisciplinary craniofacial clinics and centers providing comprehensive care for patients within networked health care systems have greatly improved the assessment, diagnosis and management of patients with CDD. However, due to the complexity and vulnerability of craniofacial developmental process, the genetic, environmental and developmental causes of many craniofacial disorders remain unknown constituting the most effective barrier for prevention and interventions. The goal of this clinician-scientist training program is to nurture scholars who are passionate about serving patients with CDD and interested in expanding scientific knowledge and effective intervention of CDD. Such goal will be achieved by building a pipeline of scholars, recruiting committed scholars, and providing a training environment to ensure academic excellence and professional success of these scholars. Specifically, our program will offer PhD training via core courses, seminars, journal clubs, research investigation, scientific writing, career and leadership development, coupled with clinical specialty training that supports scholars’ scientific and career goals. The PhD training will be integrated with the Oral Health Sciences PhD program and specialty training will be conducted within one of the accredited specialty programs at the School of Dentistry. Clinical and research mentors with expertise and experiences have been assembled. We propose to admit two scholars to pursue the integrated dental specialty and PhD training. Scholars will be selected based on strong academic records, research accomplishments, and commitment to a research-intensive academic career with a focus on craniofacial diseases and disorders. Specific efforts will be made to recruit individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as disadvantaged and disabled individuals. Each scholar’s academic plan will be individually tailored and funding plan established at matriculation by considering scholar’s abilities, experiences, and requirements of his/her chosen specialty. This multidisciplinary program that spans across departmental and school boundaries will involve the School of Dentistry, Rackham School of Graduate Studies and the University of Michigan Central campus where in addition to the core curriculum in oral sciences, selected didactic, clinical, and research training will take place. Scholars will receive formal instruction in responsible conduct of research and scholarship. The University of Michigan values quality training programs and is committed to training dentist-scientists to become independent researchers, skilled clinicians, critical thinkers, and life-long learners, thus developing a diverse and uniquely qualified workforce that will accelerate the prevention and interventions of craniofacial diseases and disorders.