UNLV School of Dental Medicine has earned a reputation for offering an intense education curriculum coupled with extensive clinical experiences. But there is one offering, not as well known, that continues to elevate a graduate’s resume and benefit the community at large—research.

The state’s only four-year accredited dental school mirrors the university’s drive to support and promote research as well as engage in creative and scholarly pursuits that enable students and faculty to recognize their full intellectual potential.

Students engaged in research activities participate in the discovery and development of what could become new treatment options, advanced techniques, and diagnostic procedures.

Faculty and students at the School of Dental Medicine lead multiple bench-research studies within more than 4,000 square feet of laboratory space, and multiple socio-economic, oral hygiene habits, and education studies within the community.

According to the school’s faculty who lead the various projects, students who participate in community health-focused studies within underserved communities often migrate to those areas after they graduate and deliver more comprehensive care to residents.

Two of the studies that impacted children within Southern Nevada and the state include:

• Crackdown on Cancer (CDOC) – The statewide oral health initiative was funded by Master Settlement Agreement for providing tobacco education and oral cancer screenings to middle- and high-school students throughout Nevada. A team of faculty, staff, and students from the School of Dental Medicine completed nearly 80,000 oral cancer screenings and spoke with more than 170,000 students about the risks associated with tobacco use and reasons to avoid or quit using tobacco products. The team studied the correlation between tobacco and marijuana use and untreated tooth decay, and then conducted a second study focused on the correlation between second-hand smoke and untreated tooth decay.

• Seal Nevada South—The school-based sealant program is funded through Oral Health America, which has a mission to support partners that can collectively apply sealants to 2 million teeth by the year 2020. A team of faculty and students provided preventive services, such as oral hygiene instructions, screenings, sealants, and fluoride varnish, to elementary-school children enrolled in Title I schools. The team then studied if the sealants reduced the prevalence of untreated tooth decay among the participating children. During spring 2017, the team will begin a longitudinal study to assess the prevalence of untreated tooth decay among newborn to 5-year-olds who participate in an educational program offered in Early Head Start and Head Start Centers statewide.

Research also encourages students to seek new solutions and stay abreast of the latest developments in diagnostics and treatments, which helps them become well respected leaders in their field and within the communities they serve.