NIDCR Office of Training and Education

National Institute Of Dental & Craniofacial Research

Investigators

Abstract

The NIDCR Office of Training and Education (NOTE) serves as an access point to provide support for trainee professional development needs at all levels of training from recruitment, development of support programs, mentoring, career guidance, creation of training initiatives, and outreach activities to enhance their experience at the Institute. The long-term goal of the NOTE is to recruit, train and retain a highly skilled scientific workforce in dental, oral health and craniofacial research. Summary The NIDCR Office Training and Education (NOTE) made several accomplishments during FY 2024/2025 that enriched the career development experience of the DIR trainees population. NOTE hosted its second-annual grant writing 1-day workshop for trainees at all levels. This one-day provided participants with the concepts and structure to plane and prepare a successful grant proposal. We were unable to host our co-sponsored intensive grant-writing 6-week workshop. However, NIDCR partnered with the training offices at NHGRI, NICHD, NEI and NIAMS to host a workshop, entitled “ Tips and Tricks for Writing a K99 Grant application with extramural and intramural colleagues, spring 2025. NIDCR NOTE hosted its Annual Fellows’ Scientific Training. The 2025 NIDCR Annual Fellows Scientific Training was held in April 28, 2025. Graduate students, pre-doctoral IRTAs, Postdoctoral trainees, clinical fellows, staff scientists, and biologists were in attendance for this one-day session along with the DIR Office of the Scientific Director Staff and NOTE Staff. Activities at the event included: a keynote address a from Dr. Manu Platt, Ph.D, Principle investigator at National Institutes of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB/NIH) presenting “ Things Fall Apart: Powers (and Problems) of Proteases in Tissue Destructive Disease”; NIH library and BioArts workshops focused on publication services and new resources for researchers. We were joined by NIDCR trainee alumni and our NIDCR Acting Director, Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque, DDS, PhD lead our closing remarks. NOTE played an essential role in the preparation of our trainees and staff for BSC presentations. The Office organized skill seminars on how to give a brief scientific presentation and coordinated one-on-one coaching sessions for all BSC presenters. The seminars and coaching sessions were well attended. This year, our investigators also took advantage of the coaching sessions being offered. In addition, NOTE has assisted with Chalk-Talk seminars for early Tenure track investigators. NOTE had successfully established the electronic individual development plan (eIDP)system in FY 2021; its primary purpose is to help employees reach short and long-term career goals, as well as improve current job performance. The eIDP has help set goals and track progress of projects and deliverables, as well as aid in mentoring and career development. All DIR trainees have an opportunity to update their eIDP each year. In FY25, NOTE has analyzed our analytical data to better address the needs of its training opportunities through its eIDP exit survey and interviews. Intramural NIDCR continues to focus the recruitment of student researchers for training programs at NIH and the dissemination of research funding resources to the public. To inform and recruit trainees from all backgrounds, NOTE represented NIDCR at several research conferences. These conferences include: The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science Conference (SACNAS, the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), the National Dental Association annual conference (NDA), and the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) joint conference with the National Medical Hispanic Association conference. The NOTE director met with students, professors and researchers who were interested in research opportunities at NIDCR and disseminated training and research opportunity materials at all conferences and during scheduled booth session. In an effort to continue offering potential trainees’ information on the training resources available at NIDCR, during the AADOCR 2025 conference to NIDCR provide DIR training programs and fellowships opportunity information via posters for those who attended IADR/AADR conference held in-person in New York, City, March 2025. In, June 2025, NIDCR NOTE cosponsored the annual NIH Three Minute Talk Science Communication Competition. This event was cosponsored by five ICs: NICHD, NHGRI, NEI, and NIAMS and hosted fellows participating from over 10 ICs (NICHD, NHGRI, NEI, NIDCD, NIDCR, NIAMS, NCATS, NIAID, NHLBI, NIDDK, NIEHS, NLM, NIMH). Graduate students, postbac IRTAs, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical fellows from these institutes competed as finalists in this event (one from NIDCR). Participants in this competition received professional training how to effectively communicate their scientific research to a broad scientific audience using a single power point slide. They also had two one-on-one professional coaching sessions in public speaking. NOTE leadership served as chair of the selection committee for the NIDCR Directors Fellowship to Enhance Diversity in Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. The director coordinated application review, selection review criteria, organization of the selection committee, maintained all contact with the applicants, and established the initial program curriculum. The director coordinated application review, selection review criteria, organization of the selection committee, maintained all contact with the applicants, and established the initial program curriculum. This fellowship is managed directly by the NOTE. NOTE sponsors 2 postbac fellows, FY25. This program is no longer active. NOTE sponsored outreach efforts with NIDCR’s clinical center to promote Clinical Research Fellow and intramural training program. NOTE leadership served as lead in the development and successful execution of the Sang-A Park Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship. Recipient(s) of the Sang-A Park fellowship has been awarded and this fellowship is managed directly by the NOTE.