Rural and Underserved Practices Are Strengthening the Network’s Research Reach

• Publications Highlights

Authors: Funkhouser E , Lyu W, Cunha-Cruz J, Mungia R, Gilbert GH, and the National Dental PBRN Collaborative Group

When research includes rural communities and Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (DHPSAs), the evidence becomes more useful for the full range of settings where dental care actually happens. A recent National Dental PBRN publication in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science examines exactly that — how dentists and patients in underserved areas engage in practice-based research, and why that engagement matters for all of us.

Key Highlights

• Dentists in rural and DHPSA settings actively contributed data through Network study participation
• Patients in underserved areas showed strong willingness to participate in studies connected to their care
• Flexible study designs and Network communication tools supported inclusion in rural practice settings
• The study was authored by Funkhouser, Lyu, Cunha-Cruz, Mungia, Gilbert, and the National Dental PBRN Collaborative Group and published in 2026

Your Practice Environment Is Essential to This Research

This study focuses on practitioner and patient engagement in underserved geographic areas, including rural communities and DHPSAs. For practitioners working in these settings, the message is direct: your practice is not on the margins of dental research. It is central to building findings that represent the full diversity of care delivery across the United States.

Research becomes more actionable when it reflects the operational realities and patient experiences found outside large metropolitan systems. The more completely our Network reflects where care actually happens, the more useful our evidence becomes.

Patients in Underserved Areas Are Ready to Participate

One of the clearest takeaways from this publication is that patients in these communities are willing to engage in studies tied to their care. That finding pushes back on the assumption that recruitment in underserved areas is inherently difficult or unsustainable.

When research aligns with care delivery and respects the realities patients face, participation becomes a natural extension of the clinical relationship — not an added burden on already stretched practices.

Flexible Infrastructure Makes Participation Work

The publication also credits Network infrastructure with supporting inclusion in rural settings. Flexible study designs and communication tools allowed busy dental teams — often managing staffing constraints and limited administrative capacity — to participate without compromising patient care.

Successful engagement does not require underserved practices to operate like large research centers. It requires study designs built around the workflows and communities they serve.

What This Means for Our Network

This publication affirms the work many of you are already doing in communities where access challenges are real and resources may be limited. Your participation helps ensure that our Network produces evidence that is more inclusive, more practical, and more representative of the patients who need it most.

If you practice in a rural or underserved area and are not yet a Network member, this is your invitation. Visit www.nationaldentalpbrn.org to learn how your practice can contribute to research that reflects your patients’ lives.

Read the publication

Funkhouser E, Lyu W, Cunha-Cruz J, Mungia R, Gilbert GH, National Dental PBRN Collaborative Group. Engagement of dentists and patients in underserved rural and dental health provider shortage areas by the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science 2026; 10(1):e59.