UI College of Dentistry professors Jeffrey Banas and David Drake have received a multi-year, $2.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the role of a specific type of plaque in young children with a high risk of early childhood tooth decay.

Although there is evidence that confirms an association between a plaque bacteria known as streptococci and tooth decay, questions remain. Professors  Banas and Drake and their research team will examine this association more closely as part of an 18-month, longitudinal study involving children ages 1 to 3 with a high risk of tooth decay.

The ultimate goal of the research is to find an effective and efficient means of determining risk of tooth decay in young children so that it can be prevented or more easily treated.