MICHR News & Event

MCOHR and MICHR Form Programmatic Alliance

The School of Dentistry's Michigan Center for Oral Health Research (MCOHR) has entered into a collaborative agreement to become a program of the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR).

As part of the agreement, effective September 25, 2009, MCOHR will continue to manage and hold full authority over its operations, staffing, and development processes, while leveraging MICHR's financial management, administrative resources, and clinical research support. Additionally, MCOHR trainees, scholars, and students will have access to the MICHR curriculum and the variety of other resources available for educational enrichment.

"I am very pleased to have MCOHR on board as part of MICHR," said Ken Pienta, MD and MICHR Director. "This partnership is consistent with MICHR's goal to better connect clinical research entities University-wide, so this is an excellent opportunity for us to be closely aligned with the School of Dentistry."

MCOHR was established in 2005 to address the need for patient-oriented research support at the School of Dentistry. It serves not only the school, but also the profession and the public in the translation of basic knowledge into new science-based clinical therapies to improve oral, dental, and craniofacial health.

MCOHR clinics have been co-located with MICHR at the Domino's Farms facility and have seen more than 6,000 patient visits to date. The center currently has fully operational dental operatories and has completed numerous clinical trial investigations in oral health as well as systemic health-related areas. MCOHR provides a number of services including regulatory assistance, study coordination and patient services, grant and budget preparation, and dental assistance.

MICHR seeks to enable and enhance the positive impact of clinical and translational research at the University of Michigan, and to make U-M a world leader in translating scientific discoveries into real health gains.