NIH-funded research Sbir 2 grant

Training community health workers to improve oral health outreach for low-income Black families

Official title: An online professional development course to train CHWs to provide oral health outreach to low-income Black guardians

Funded at Kdh Research and Communication, INC. · NIH-10896338 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is creating an online course to help community health workers learn how to better support low-income Black families with kids and teens in taking care of their teeth, especially to prevent tooth decay.

More Oral Health research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionKdh Research and Communication, INC.
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Atlanta, UNITED STATES)
Project startJuly 26, 2021
Project endFebruary 28, 2026
Funding year2024
Award (this year)$1,032,948
NIH project number5R44MD016352-03
Project IDNIH-10896338 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Ideal candidates for this research are low-income Black guardians of children and adolescents who may benefit from enhanced oral health outreach.

Less likely to help

Patients who do not belong to low-income Black families or do not have children or adolescents may not receive benefit from this research.

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing an online course designed to train community health workers (CHWs) to effectively provide oral health outreach to low-income Black guardians of children and adolescents. The program, called Guardians Receiving Information through Navigators (GRIN), aims to enhance CHWs' knowledge and confidence in addressing oral health issues, particularly tooth decay, which disproportionately affects these communities. By equipping CHWs with culturally relevant information and skills, the initiative seeks to improve access to preventive dental care for children and adolescents in underserved populations.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved oral health outcomes for low-income Black children and adolescents by increasing access to preventive dental care.

How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in training community health workers to improve health outcomes in underserved populations, indicating that this approach has potential.

Where this research is happening

  • Kdh Research and Communication, INC.
    Atlanta, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Cooper, Dexter L — Kdh Research and Communication, INC.
  • Study coordinator: Cooper, Dexter L

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.