Heather Taylor, PhD, MPH, RDH, received a K01 Mentored Career Development Award to Promote Diversity, which is focused on supporting the career development and research of early investigators.
Awarded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the primary goal of this grant is to provide protected time for recipients to develop their research goals and establish themselves as independent investigators.
“It is an honor to receive this award and have the time to launch my research career,” said Taylor, assistant professor of health policy and management at the Fairbanks School. “My research will examine how health systems’ data can be leveraged to address the social inequity of poor oral health, which disproportionately affects vulnerable populations.”
Taylor will use electronic health record data to develop a risk prediction model that identifies vulnerable adults who are likely to seek dental care in the emergency department for non-traumatic dental conditions.
“This research will use data collected outside of traditional dental care settings to provide health systems with actionable information about adults in their community who need support,” said Taylor.
Taylor’s grant, “Leveraging health systems' data to address oral health disparities,” will last five years, ending in 2029. The project involves a team of mentors, including Joshua Vest, associate dean of research at the Fairbanks School, and colleagues from the IU School of Dentistry, IU School of Science and Ono Academic College.