The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network is funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health. A dental practice-based research network is an investigative union of practicing dentists and academic scientists. The National Dental PBRN provides practitioners across the United States with an opportunity to propose or participate in research studies that address day-to-day issues in oral healthcare. The studies, conducted in participating dental offices with consenting patients, help to expand the profession's evidence base and further refine care. Investigators and practitioners work together to perform relatively short-term studies to compare the effectiveness of preventive and treatment methods in dentistry. Headquartered at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, the National Dental PBRN serves as administrative hub that leads and oversees six regions. HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research administratively leads the Midwest Region (IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI). A large part of the development of the network involves engaging diverse stakeholders in the community including dental providers in a variety of practice settings, dental professional organizations, institutions of higher education (e.g., dental schools) and continuing and professional education, and researchers across the nation. A key role of Regional Coordinator staff is the recruitment of practitioners to the network. This presentation highlights how practitioners not otherwise involved in research learn about the opportunity to improve the nation's oral health and the further develop the scientific basis for the profession through involvement in practice-based research.