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AFI ranks number 1 on the East Coast in oral health research

The oral health research institute also placed 4th nationally in total NIDCR funding awarded to dental institutions

Cambridge, Mass., May 3, 2024 – ADA Forsyth Institute (AFI) researchers received just under $10 million funding from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) during the federal fiscal year 2023, placing 4th nationally on NIDCR’s ranking list.

“We have ranked in the top 5 dental institutions in 9 out of the past 10 years,” said Wenyuan Shi, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of AFI. “We have placed in the top 10 nationally every year since the ranking system began in 2002, despite having one of the smallest faculty sizes among all ranked programs.” The institute has also ranked number 1 in Boston every year since 2009. It should be noted that the NIDCR funding rank list only includes prime awards, not subawards.

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, ADA Forsyth is a non-profit research institution with a rich legacy of groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs spanning microbiology, immunology, and mineralized tissue biology. 

“Congratulations to all the researchers at AFI and our amazing collaborators around the world,” said Ben Wu, PhD, DDS, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Scientific Officer at AFI. “The sustained excellence and double-digit growth (17.4%) in FY2023 are truly impressive. Our relocation to a state-of-the-art research facility in 2025 will substantially enhance our research infrastructure and scientific instrumentation, ensuring the expansion of our innovative team and perpetuation of excellence.”

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About the ADA Forsyth Institute

The ADA Forsyth Institute was founded in 1910 as the Forsyth Dental Infirmary for Children (later, the Forsyth Institute), to provide dental care to the disadvantaged children of Boston. While continuing to serve children in need, yet recognizing the ultimate goal is to prevent dental disease, the Institute in 1915 began to focus on scientific research and is today the world’s leader in oral health research. In October of 2023, the Institute joined with the American Dental Association to form the ADA Forsyth Institute, a 501(c)(3) entity dedicated to improving people’s oral and overall health and powering the profession of dentistry through cutting-edge basic research, creative translational science, innovative clinical technologies, and global public health outreach. Consistent with the Institute’s founding mission, the ADA ForsythKids mobile dental program continues to serve children in need.

Media Contacts:
ADA Forsyth, Jill Sirko, jsirko@forsyth.org
ADA Media Relations, mediarelations@ada.org

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