TThe National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) mission is to conduct and support biomedical and behavioral research and research training in the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language.

NIDCD also conducts and supports research and research training related to disease prevention and health promotion; addresses special biomedical and behavioral problems; and supports efforts to create devices which substitute for lost and impaired sensory and communication function.