NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya announced the selection of Jonathan E. Burke, a practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeon, as director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), effective Sept. 20, 2026. Burke is currently the medical director of an oral and maxillofacial consulting firm in Philadelphia.
As NIDCR director, Burke will oversee an annual budget exceeding $520 million and manage approximately 750 research awards to 660 investigators across 200 organizations. The institute also supports research training and career development for approximately 380 researchers and trainees.
Burke previously served as assistant professor of surgery at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey, where he co-founded the institution's first Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He also held a clinical appointment at Temple University School of Dentistry. His research has focused on temporomandibular joint pharmacology, implant devices, and post-surgical pain management.