NIH grants $26.7 million for research; NYU and Levin Group lead effort
Levin Group Inc., a leading dental consulting firm providing innovative lifetime services to dentists and dental practices, has announced it has joined forces with the Bluestone Center for Clinical Research at New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) to establish a Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN) over the next seven years. The ultimate objective of the $26.7 million grant awarded to NYUCD by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is to improve patient care and clinical care outcomes by addressing research questions that are immediately relevant to dentists and their patients.
The comprehensive scope of the innovative PBRN grant includes all aspects of project implementation from recruitment and retention of network practices to selection of research topics, development of research protocols, implementation of field studies, development of research findings, and generation of scientific publications. Levin Group's role in the program, designed to increase data accuracy and reliability and ultimately optimize validity of research findings, is to establish effective operational systems, scripting, and management systems to secure optimal compliance with research protocols and requirements.
Roger P. Levin, DDS, MBA, Founder and CEO of Levin Group, said, "We are very excited to partner with NYU in this ground-breaking research project, and take pride in knowing that we have been selected to help guide this massive study to close the gap between science and clinical dentistry. As Levin Group develops management systems that enable dental practices joining the PBRN program to implement their research responsibilities accurately, effectively, and efficiently, we will systematically improve the overall practice and delivery of oral healthcare."
"The project, known as the PEARL (Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research and Learning) Network, bridges the gap between practicing dentists and academia," added Dr. Michael C. Alfano, dean of NYUCD, "and has the potential to transform the way dentistry is practiced." Also involved in the regional study with Levin Group and the Bluestone Center for Clinical Research are EMMES Corporation in Rockville, MD, a distinguished team of NYU senior scientists, and a broad network of investigators and consultants.
The network will also perform anonymous chart reviews, as allowed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), to generate data on disease, treatment trends, and the prevalence of less common oral conditions. For more information about the PBRN grant at NYUCD, call (212) 998-9310.
