The future of dental education and support for biomedical research requires investment in the selection and training of tomorrow's scientists, whether they are basic, translational or clinical researchers. One of the stated goals of the NIDCR to ensure that a diverse and highly trained workforce is available to address the Nation's health-related needs in dental, oral, and craniofacial research, and this grant addresses this need. This grant thus requests support to provide education and training for a select cadre of scholars seeking either a formal PhD degree education or post-doctoral training (both DDS and PhD graduates) with a major focus on dental, orofacial and craniofacial health-related disease processes.