[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 289 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 289

 Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the National Institute of Dental 
                               Research.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 9, 1998

   Mr. Packard (for himself, Mr. Bonilla, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Linder, Mr. 
Norwood, and Mr. Porter) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
            which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the National Institute of Dental 
                               Research.

Whereas the National Institute of Dental Research was established on June 24, 
        1948, by the National Dental Research Act as the third Institute of the 
        National Institutes of Health;
Whereas the Act entrusted the Institute with a leadership role designed to 
        improve and promote the dental health of the American people through 
        research on the causes and prevention of dental diseases;
Whereas the Institute supports biomedical and behavioral research in its 
        laboratories and in public, private, and academic research centers 
        throughout the Nation;
Whereas the Institute influences research activities and the promotion of oral 
        health worldwide through its sponsorship of and its participation in 
        international meetings, and by organizing exchanges of dental research 
        investigators and of scientific information;
Whereas the Institute disseminates science-based information and research 
        findings about craniofacial, oral, and dental diseases to other Federal 
        agencies, Congress, health professionals, consumer groups, industry, and 
        the public;
Whereas the Institute is the Nation's primary source of funding for the 
        research, training, and career development of dental, oral, and 
        craniofacial scientists;
Whereas the Institute maximizes its research investment by fostering 
        collaborations and partnerships with other Government agencies, 
        industry, regulatory bodies, and other partners to create opportunities 
        to speed the translation of scientific discovery to clinical practice;
Whereas the Institute gives special attention to the health needs of special 
        populations, such as children, minorities, women, the elderly, the 
        underprivileged, and the disabled;
Whereas the Institute works closely with allied associations, industry, academic 
        health professionals, and consumer groups in promoting the transfer of 
        research findings to dental practitioners and other health professionals 
        and engages in comprehensive oral health promotion and disease 
        prevention activities of direct benefit to the public;
Whereas research supported by the Institute established that dental caries and 
        periodontal diseases are bacterial infections, and these findings led to 
        further research to devise prevention, diagnosis, and treatment 
        strategies that have caused a dramatic improvement in the oral health of 
        the American people and the savings of $4,000,000,000 in dental expenses 
        each year;
Whereas the Institute, in completing the Grand Rapids water fluoridation 
        project, confirmed the efficacy of fluoride for the reduction of dental 
        caries and introduced fluoridation and its benefits to the world;
Whereas while the Institute continues to support research to further understand 
        and prevent dental caries and periodontal diseases and other conditions 
        that lead to tooth loss, the Institute has broadened its focus to 
        embrace the entire craniofacial-oral-dental complex; critical areas 
        include other infectious diseases, such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS; 
        inherited diseases and disorders such as disfiguring craniofacial birth 
        defects; neoplastic diseases such as oral cancers; chronic and disabling 
        diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and the temporomandibular 
        disorders; auto-immune diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid 
        arthritis and diabetes; tissue repair and regeneration; and the 
        interactive roles of behavioral, sociological, economic, environmental, 
        genetic, and other biological factors involved in craniofacial-oral-
        dental diseases; and
Whereas the National Institute of Dental Research, in being instrumental in the 
        dramatic decline of oral and dental diseases and in addressing other 
        critical, oral, and systemic diseases that affect the craniofacial-oral-
        dental complex, is worthy of special commemoration by the Congress: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) commemorates the creation of the National Institute of 
        Dental Research, through the National Dental Research Act, and 
        its significant national leadership role;
            (2) reaffirms its support of the National Dental Research 
        Act and its entrustment of the Institute with important 
        responsibilities that include conducting and fostering research 
        on the causes, prevention, methods of diagnosis, and treatment 
        of dental diseases and conditions; and
            (3) recognizes the many multidisciplinary scientists, 
        professional organizations, and patient advocacy groups for 
        their contributions to the fulfillment of the goals supported 
        by the Institute.
                                 <all>