Building on its growing research momentum, VCU School of Dentistry has climbed to 7th nationally among public dental schools in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.

In 2025, the school received more than $7.5 million from the NIH to advance a wide range of oral health and biomedical research, nearly a $1 million increase from 2024.

The seventh-place ranking is up two spots from the previous year and up 13 spots from 2020.

The NIH is the world’s largest financial supporter of biomedical research, and the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research is an independent, nonprofit organization that compiles annual rankings of NIH research funding to individual researchers and academic institutions.

“Achieving a Top 10 ranking in NIH funding is a significant milestone for our school and a testament to the excellence at VCU School of Dentistry,” said Iain Morgan, Ph.D., associate dean for research at the VCU School of Dentistry and Director of the Philips Institute for Oral Health Research.

"This distinction reflects the dedication and expertise of our faculty, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students and staff, as well as the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing scientific discovery. I am deeply grateful to each member of our research community for their commitment, creativity and tireless efforts in advancing our mission and strengthening our impact. I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge former Dean David Sarrett whose vision this realizes. He gave the research mission at the school unwavering support after my arrival until the end of his deanship, and this could not have been achieved without his support."

Under Morgan’s leadership, the School of Dentistry has climbed from 42nd among all dental schools in 2012 to 7th among public dental schools and 10th among all dental schools in 2025.

“Our number seven ranking in NIH research funding is a testament to the strength and impact of our research enterprise at the Philips Institute of Oral Health Research,” said Lyndon Cooper, D.D.S., Ph.D., dean of VCU School of Dentistry. 

“This milestone reflects the outstanding leadership of Dr. Iain Morgan and the exceptional work of our faculty at the Philips Institute, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students, whose investigations in oral cancer, oral immunology, and oral microbiology are advancing science and improving lives. Their commitment to rigorous, high-impact scholarship has resulted in premier peer-reviewed publications, sustained federal grant support and increasing national attention from Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows. We are proud of this momentum and excited about the discoveries still ahead.”

The majority of funded research at VCU School of Dentistry occurs at the Philips Institute where it is split into three distinct programs, including Cancer, Bacterial Infection and Inflammation and Oral Health Services. A number of faculty, including Morgan, are research program members associated with VCU’s Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. Students can enroll in several advanced degree programs, including an M.S in Microbiology and Immunology, a Ph.D. in Oral Health Research, and a D.D.S./Ph.D. in Oral Health Research Dual Degree.

Among public institutions, VCU School of Dentistry is one of two VCU schools or departments (Department of Family Medicine - VCU School of Medicine) ranked in the top 10 of the Blue Ridge Institute’s 2025 rankings. 

“We are immensely proud of this achievement and of the collective dedication that made it possible," said Morgan. “Guided by a shared mission to improve lives, we remain focused on translating groundbreaking research into meaningful advances in disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment. As we look ahead, we are energized by the opportunities before us and steadfast in our commitment to shaping the future of oral and systemic health for patients and communities around the world.”