Dr. Veerasathpurush “Sath” Allareddy has been named National Director of Specialty Engagement by the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN).  Dr. Allareddy is a professor and Head of the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry.

The National Dental PBRN is funded by a $22.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health/ National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, in order to improve the nation’s health. The PBRN’s principle investigator is Dr. Gregg Gilbert, Distinguished Professor of Dentistry at the University of Alabama. The Network comprises:

  • The National Administrative and Resource Center based at the University of Alabama at Birmingham;
  • The Central Data Coordinating Center, based at Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research; and
  • Six regional “nodes,” with an additional node based at the University of Illinois at Chicago serving as the Specialty Engagement Node.

“My responsibility will be to lead the specialty node of the Network,” says Dr. Allareddy. “I will engage in recruiting and training practitioners from dental specialties to participate in network-based research. The process will be phased, beginning with the Network’s existing specialist activities. I will work with the AAO to encourage network enrollment and study participation. Phase 2 will focus on endodontic and orofacial pain specialties and Phase 3 will engage other specialties.

“The ultimate goal of the PBRN is to facilitate research that will have direct applicability to everyday clinical practice and benefit our members and public,” adds Dr. Allareddy.

Dr. Allareddy Has Worked on Anterior Openbite, Class II Research Network Initiatives

Dr. Allareddy has extensive experience with network-based research, having been a clinical participant in the anterior openbite study that was the first AAO-proposed research to be funded by the National Dental PBRN. He helped with recruiting orthodontic practitioners and patients for that study and co-authored the first article about the study published in a journal (“The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network adult anterior open bite study: A description of the practitioners and patients.” (The Angle Orthodontist, November 2018).

“The AAO-Practice Based Research Network Committee also gave me the opportunity to lead Class II research starting in 2014, which resulted in a proposal that I submitted to the Executive Committee of the National Dental PBRN,” said Dr. Allareddy. “The pilot phase of the Class II study was successfully completed with support from the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation. Over the past few years, I have worked extensively with the AAO PBRN Committee to establish a framework for a healthy partnership between the National Dental PBRN and specialty organizations.”

AAO Committee Will Continue Efforts to Facilitate Network-Based Orthodontic Research

The AAO Practice Based Research Network Committee was formed in 2013 to encourage orthodontic research in network settings, especially with the National Dental PBRN. The AAO committee includes Dr. Allareddy and is currently led by Dr. Sylvia Frazier-Bowers.  Also serving on the committee are Drs. Jeff Erickson, Jaime De Jesus-Vinas, Greg Huang, Flavio Uribe, Bhavna Shroff and Richard Williams (Board of Trustees Liaison).

“I will serve as a resource for AAO members who are interested in submitting study proposals to the National Dental PBRN,” says Dr. Allareddy. “The AAO-PBRN Committee will work closely with the Network and the AAO to identify priority areas for research. Currently, the nationwide phase of the Class II study is being prepared for funding. We are also awaiting a funding decision for an extension phase of the anterior openbite study.”

Dr. Huang, who presented results of the anterior open bite study as the John Valentine Mershon lecturer at the 2019 Annual Session, led preparation of the proposals for the original research and the extension phase of the study.

“We are continuing to analyze data through one year post-treatment to assess how correction is holding up,” says Dr. Huang. “The new grant proposal calls for funding to follow patients for another three to five years to document their post-treatment stability. I hope to know if the extended follow-up proposal will be funded within the next couple of months.”

“Please watch for updates on our process within the next few months,” says Dr. Allareddy. “Our website (NationalDentalPBRN.org) has information about the Network, an Orientation Handbook, links to all of our newsletters, and patient and practitioner information. We plan to have a revised Enrollment Questionnaire for practitioners available later this summer.”

Learn More at the AAO PBRN Information Page