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AADOCR Travel Award for New Clinical Investigators

American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research

The AADOCR Travel Award for New Clinical Investigators was created to encourage new investigators to travel to and submit their research at the AADOCR Annual Meeting. Individuals conducting clinical research in any of the dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) research areas are eligible to apply.

The award is supported by a generous annual donation from Dr. Marcelo W.B. Araujo, Dean, University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in New York. Dr. Araujo was an international student in 1997 at the University at Buffalo where he received a MS in Oral Sciences, followed by a Clinical Research and Teaching Fellowship in Periodontology, and a PhD in Epidemiology.

The goal of the award is to encourage new investigators to undertake DOC research and facilitate their presentation of this work to the U.S and international DOC research community.

Award Prize/Recognition

Up to 3 awards of $2,000 each will be awarded each year for travel for expenses to present at the AADOCR Annual Meeting & Exhibition

Key Dates

Applications Open:

Jul 13, 2026

Applications Closed:

Oct 26, 2026

Application

The current NIH definition of clinical research is human subjects research that is:
1. Patient-oriented research. Research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin, such as tissues, specimens, and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator (or colleague) directly interacts with human subjects. Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that use human tissues that cannot be linked to a living individual. This definition includes (a) mechanisms of human disease, (b) therapeutic interventions, (c) clinical trials, or (d) development of new technologies.
2. Epidemiologic and behavioral studies.
3. Outcomes research and health services research.

• To apply you must select the AADOCR Travel Award for New Clinical Investigators when submitting your abstract for the AADOCR Annual Meeting & Exhibition.

• Fill out the eligibility requirements.

• Applicants MUST be members of the AADOCR at the time of abstract deadline.

• Clinical Research must meet the NIH definition described above.

• Applicants must also submit a separate and more detailed overview of their projects (2 pages, double-spaced).

• Statement of Intent: A maximum 250-word statement explaining any challenges you may face in attending the AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting and how the travel funds would assist you.

Award Review

All abstracts submitted for the AADOCR Annual Meeting are subject to peer review within the scientific groups of the IADR. Once the abstracts, which are submitted to apply for the travel award, have been accepted for presentation, they will be forwarded to a specially appointed awards review committee made up of AADOCR members, using the IADR/AADOCR Award, Fellowship, and Grant Recipient Selection Policy and Procedures.

The Committee’s decision will be made after the abstract deadline and approved by the Board of Directors. Winners will be notified before the Annual Meeting. If selected for the award, the paper must be presented at the meeting (no presenter substitutions allowed).

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct relevance to dental, oral and craniofacial research ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the fundamental requirement.

Competitive research should clearly fall within areas such as:

Oral biology
Dental diseases
Craniofacial development
Cariology
Periodontology
Oral microbiology
Oral cancer
Dental materials
Biomaterials
Oral immunology
Craniofacial genetics
Dental public health
Oral health services
Clinical dentistry
Regenerative dentistry
Oral health disparities

AADOCR's mission is specifically to drive research in these fields to advance health and well-being.

2. Scientific significance and potential to advance the field ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A strong project must do more than fit dentistry—it should address an important scientific or clinical question.

The proposal should clearly establish:

The problem
The knowledge gap
Why the gap matters
What the research will contribute
How the results could advance the chosen field

For the New Faculty Research Fellowship, AADOCR explicitly asks whether the research project has the potential to advance the applicant's chosen field.

3. Originality and innovation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

AADOCR strongly rewards original research.

For example, its Hatton Competition is specifically designed for junior investigators whose research is original, well-planned, and carefully executed.

Competitive projects should demonstrate:

Novel hypothesis
New scientific concept
Innovative methodology
New therapeutic/diagnostic approach
New understanding of oral disease
Innovative technology or biomaterial
New approach to oral-health prevention

4. Strong research methodology and rigor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A scientifically important idea must have a convincing research plan.

A strong application should contain:

Clear hypothesis
Specific aims
Appropriate methods
Study design
Appropriate controls
Statistical plan
Feasible timeline
Clearly defined outcomes

For the New Faculty Fellowship, AADOCR specifically requires the project description to include the hypothesis, methodology, publication/presentation plans, and a realistic timeline.

5. Strong early-career investigator potential ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is particularly important for AADOCR's fellowship and new-investigator programs.

The AADOCR P&G New Faculty Research Fellowship is explicitly designed to support researchers at the early stages of their scientific careers and enhance their development as faculty-level scientists.

Strong applicants demonstrate:

Commitment to a research career
Academic promise
Research experience
Relevant publications
Clear scientific direction
Potential for independence

6. Clear career-development plan ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

For early-career funding, AADOCR wants to see how the award will help build the applicant's future research career.

A strong plan should explain how the funding will help with:

Generating preliminary data
Research training
Establishing a laboratory
Completing a research project
Preparing manuscripts
Preparing future grant applications
Establishing collaborations

The New Faculty Fellowship specifically requires a career plan describing career development and how the fellowship will affect future research.

7. Strong mentor/supervisor and institutional support ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

AADOCR explicitly evaluates the support demonstrated in the supervisor/department-head letter.

A strong institutional environment should provide:

Appropriate laboratory facilities
Research equipment
Patient/sample access
Statistical support
Mentorship
Protected research time
Institutional commitment

For early-career investigators, a strong mentor can substantially strengthen the credibility of the proposed career trajectory.

8. Potential for publications and future funding ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

AADOCR fellowships are designed to help investigators generate data and move toward:

Peer-reviewed publications
Conference presentations
Larger research grants
External collaborations
Independent research programs

The New Faculty Fellowship explicitly allows funding to be used for research, preparation of research for publication, or grant submission.

This makes a proposal particularly attractive when the applicant can demonstrate:

AADOCR funding → preliminary data → publication → larger external grant → independent research program.

9. Oral-health equity and underserved populations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is an important AADOCR-specific opportunity.

The AADOCR Delta Dental Institute Oral Health Equity Research Award specifically supports research addressing:

Social determinants of health
Oral-health disparities
Access to care
Oral-health literacy
Underserved populations
Rural communities
Tribal communities
Adolescents
Hard-to-reach populations

The award provides $25,000 for each of two research areas.

Therefore, for equity-focused programs, demonstrating a clear connection between the research and oral-health disparities can be a major success predictor.

10. Scientific communication and presentation quality ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

AADOCR places substantial emphasis on scientific communication through its annual meeting, competitions, presentations, and publications.

The Hatton Competition, for example, evaluates junior investigators presenting their research and is designed to identify individuals with potential for productive careers in dental research.

For presentation-based awards, important factors include:

Clear explanation of the research question
Significance
Key results
Logical organization
Ability to communicate to non-specialists
Confidence
Ability to answer questions

The Rising Researcher Poster Competition explicitly evaluates clarity, significance, rigor, comprehension, content, engagement, and communication.

Specialties

Others

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a travel grant, applicants must be:

AADOCR members.
New Investigators within 10 years of completing their last terminal degree (PhD, DDS, DMD, RDH, or equivalent) at the time of the submission deadline.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 1619 Duke Street Alexandria, VA, 22314-3406

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