The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network is a consortium of participating practices and dental organizations committed to advancing knowledge of dental practice and ways to improve it. It is “practical science” done about, in, and for the benefit of “real-world” everyday clinical practice. The major source of funding for the nation’s network is the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dental professionals and researchers are encouraged to enroll in the network, engage in the development of studies, participate in data collection and other network opportunities, and utilize the results of network studies in practice with the collective goal of improving the nation’s oral health by improving the knowledge base for clinical decision-making and moving the latest evidence into routine care.