IV
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 289
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the National Institute of Dental
Research.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 9, 1998
Mr. PACKARD (for himself, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. HOYER, Mr. LINDER, Mr. NOR-
WOOD, and Mr. PORTER) submitted the following concurrent resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on Commerce
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the National Institute
of Dental Research.
Whereas the National Institute of Dental Research was es-
tablished on June 24, 1948, by the National Dental Re-
search Act as the third Institute of the National Insti-
tutes of Health;
Whereas the Act entrusted the Institute with a leadership
role designed to improve and promote the dental health
of the American people through research on the causes
and prevention of dental diseases;
Whereas the Institute supports biomedical and behavioral re-
search in its laboratories and in public, private, and aca-
demic research centers throughout the Nation;
•HCON 289 IH
Whereas the Institute influences research activities and the
promotion of oral health worldwide through its sponsor-
ship of and its participation in international meetings,
and by organizing exchanges of dental research investiga-
tors and of scientific information;
Whereas the Institute disseminates science-based information
and research findings about craniofacial, oral, and dental
diseases to other Federal agencies, Congress, health pro-
fessionals, consumer groups, industry, and the public;
Whereas the Institute is the Nation’s primary source of fund-
ing for the research, training, and career development of
dental, oral, and craniofacial scientists;
Whereas the Institute maximizes its research investment by
fostering collaborations and partnerships with other Gov-
ernment agencies, industry, regulatory bodies, and other
partners to create opportunities to speed the translation
of scientific discovery to clinical practice;
Whereas the Institute gives special attention to the health
needs of special populations, such as children, minorities,
women, the elderly, the underprivileged, and the disabled;
Whereas the Institute works closely with allied associations,
industry, academic health professionals, and consumer
groups in promoting the transfer of research findings to
dental practitioners and other health professionals and
engages in comprehensive oral health promotion and dis-
ease prevention activities of direct benefit to the public;
Whereas research supported by the Institute established that
dental caries and periodontal diseases are bacterial infec-
tions, and these findings led to further research to devise
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies that have
caused a dramatic improvement in the oral health of the
•HCON 289 IH
American people and the savings of $4,000,000,000 in
dental expenses each year;
Whereas the Institute, in completing the Grand Rapids water
fluoridation project, confirmed the efficacy of fluoride for
the reduction of dental caries and introduced fluoridation
and its benefits to the world;
Whereas while the Institute continues to support research to
further understand and prevent dental caries and peri-
odontal diseases and other conditions that lead to tooth
loss, the Institute has broadened its focus to embrace the
entire craniofacial-oral-dental complex; critical areas in-
clude other infectious diseases, such as hepatitis and
HIV/AIDS; inherited diseases and disorders such as dis-
figuring craniofacial birth defects; neoplastic diseases
such as oral cancers; chronic and disabling diseases such
as 
osteoporosis, 
osteoarthritis, 
and 
the 
temporo-
mandibular disorders; auto-immune diseases such as
Sjo¨gren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes;
tissue repair and regeneration; and the interactive roles
of behavioral, sociological, economic, environmental, ge-
netic, and other biological factors involved in craniofacial-
oral-dental diseases; and
Whereas the National Institute of Dental Research, in being
instrumental in the dramatic decline of oral and dental
diseases and in addressing other critical, oral, and sys-
temic diseases that affect the craniofacial-oral-dental
complex, is worthy of special commemoration by the Con-
gress: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
•HCON 289 IH
(1) commemorates the creation of the National
Institute of Dental Research, through the National
Dental Research Act, and its significant national
leadership role;
(2) reaffirms its support of the National Dental
Research Act and its entrustment of the Institute
with important responsibilities that include conduct-
ing and fostering research on the causes, prevention,
methods of diagnosis, and treatment of dental dis-
eases and conditions; and
(3) recognizes the many multidisciplinary sci-
entists, professional organizations, and patient advo-
cacy groups for their contributions to the fulfillment
of the goals supported by the Institute.
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