As a result of The TMJ Association’s (TMJA) advocacy efforts, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched and funded the TMD Collaborative for IMproving PAtient-Centered Translational Research (TMD IMPACT), a five-year national research and education initiative designed to transform the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
The TMD IMPACT Collaborative brings together multidisciplinary teams from the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Michigan, and the University of Southern California to advance research spanning basic science, translational research, and clinical care. By integrating patient-reported outcomes with biological, imaging, and clinical data, the Collaborative aims to support more precise diagnosis, identify new treatment approaches, and improve outcomes for people living with TMD.
A defining feature of TMD IMPACT is its commitment to patient-centered research. TMJA is proud to serve as a lead patient partner, helping ensure that the patient voice is represented throughout every stage of the initiative. For too long, research has been conducted on patients rather than with patients. TMJA is helping change that by identifying patient priorities, connecting researchers with patient advisors, and ensuring that lived experience helps shape research questions, study design, and future directions.
Beyond research, TMD IMPACT is investing in the future of TMD care through education and workforce development. The initiative provides training opportunities for early-career researchers and clinicians while building shared research infrastructure, data resources, and collaborative networks that will accelerate discovery and strengthen the field for years to come.
As the TMD IMPACT Collaborative progresses, TMJA will continue to share updates on research advances, patient engagement opportunities, and discoveries that bring us closer to better treatments—and ultimately, better lives—for everyone affected by TMD.