The Dows Institute for Dental Research

Welcome to the Dows Institute for Dental Research

            When the current College of Dentistry was completed in 1972, the north fourth floor of the college was allocated as a joint-use research facility. In 1976, with a 10-year pledge of support from the Sutherland and Judith Dows family in memory of Frances M. Dows, the Dows Institute for Dental Research was established.

            Today the Dows Institute is a highly recognized dental research facility with laboratories on both the fourth and first floors. Dental researchers collaborate with other researchers from Iowa, the U.S., and internationally, from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Malaysia, Japan, South Africa, Turkey, Romania, England, and Egypt. Collegiate dental research includes cariology, microbiology and fluoride studies; biomaterials, bone and tissue engineering; oral soft tissue and cancer research; epidemiology and health policy; and craniofacial and cleft palate research.

            The Dows Institute strives to provide collegiate dental researchers with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to meet the continually evolving oral health care needs of dental patients throughout Iowa, the U.S., and the world.