2026 National Meeting Highlights: What You Can Carry Into Practice and Research

• General News, Network Updates

On May 12, practitioners, researchers, and students from across the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network gathered at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry for the 2026 National Meeting. The program focused on practical study findings, whole-person health, and the next phase of practice-based research that will shape how the Network supports your work in the years ahead.

Whole-person health is moving to the center of dental care

Keynote speaker Dr. Daniel W. McNeil opened the meeting by linking oral health to behavioral, and systemic health, reinforcing a message many clinicians see every day in practice: your patients’ oral conditions do not exist in isolation. His remarks framed dental teams as essential contributors to identifying broader health factors that influence outcomes, not just providers of procedure-based care.

That emphasis matters because it aligns clinical observation with research priorities. As the Network continues to study care delivery in real-world settings, medical-dental integration is becoming more relevant to the questions practitioners ask, the collaborations they build, and the evidence they can apply chairside.

The Network’s scale reflects sustained practitioner commitment

During the closing session, Dr. Gregg H. Gilbert shared several performance markers from the Network’s three funding cycles. Since 2012, the Network has enrolled more than 78,000 patients, completed 58 studies, and produced 255 peer-reviewed publications, showing the reach of research built in everyday practice settings.

Those numbers represent more than growth. They show what becomes possible when practitioners, coordinators, and academic partners contribute consistently over time. Each enrolled patient, completed study, and published paper strengthens an evidence base that reflects real clinical environments rather than idealized conditions alone.

Cross-specialty partnerships are broadening the evidence base

The meeting also highlighted collaborations with the American Association of Endodontists and the American Association of Orthodontists. These partnerships expand the Network’s ability to generate findings that matter across different practice models and specialty settings.

For clinicians, that breadth is important. It means the Network is not limited to one type of practice experience or one narrow set of research questions. Instead, it continues to build a larger, more representative picture of how dentistry is delivered and how evidence can better support decision-making across the profession.

The next funding cycle could open new opportunities for engagement

Dr. Gilbert also previewed what comes next, noting that a new National Institutes of Health funding opportunity is anticipated in 2026 and that the next funding cycle is expected to run from 2027 to 2034. He also pointed to medical-dental integration as a possible area of expanded focus, connecting future research planning to national interest in whole-person health.

For Network members, that forward view is practical as well as strategic. It signals that future studies may continue to move toward integrated care models, broader collaborations, and research questions that match the complexity of contemporary practice.

What this means for our Network

The 2026 National Meeting made one point clear: the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network continues to grow because practitioners like you keep bringing real-world questions, clinical judgment, and patient-centered insight into the research process. Your participation has helped build a national body of evidence that now includes more than 78,000 patients, 58 studies, and 255 peer-reviewed publications.

Meeting materials, including slides, breakout resources, and presenter information, are available on the Network’s meeting resources page at nationaldentalpbrn.org/2026-meeting-resources/