How Research Training Will Shape the Future of Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research

Students' Perspective on Undergraduate Research Experiences in Indonesian Dental Schools

Undergraduate (UG) research is considered as an essential part of dental education. Numerous dental schools have included required course-based undergraduate research in their curricula. However, the implementation of UG research courses in the curriculum may vary between dental schools. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate student perspectives on UG research in the curriculum of Indonesian dental schools. A total of 203 participants from 10 dental schools returned the questionnaire. The participants were clinical students of the dentistry profession program who completed their undergraduate dentistry program from 2017 to 2022. The majority of study participants favored UG research in the curriculum of the undergraduate dentistry study program. Less than 20% participants perceived UG research experiments were not important in dental education. Factors that influenced these perceptions included the availability of adequate time to complete the course and sufficient support from research supervisors. Recommendations for improvement included providing an adequate time to complete UG research and adequate supervision to guide students to understand the conceptual background information of the research topics, designs, and scientific communication of data interpretation. Regular monitoring of students' performance and progress would ensure completion of UG research courses in a timely manner. In conclusion, although UG research as a compulsory course in the Indonesian dental curriculum was well received by the students, overcoming the challenges is essential for the improvement of the research environment for undergraduate dental students.

Reshaping dental faculty development using collective healthcare experiences

Dental academics provide a fulfilling career path to educate the next generation of oral health professionals. The number of dentists choosing a career in dental academics is declining and existing faculty are opting for other career options. As the number of dental schools increase across the US, a critical shortage of educators may be evidenced. In dentistry, innovative approaches to develop academic faculty are not keeping pace with the growing needs of dental faculty, who are challenged to establish a fulfilling work-life balance. This work reviews existing methods that other health professions implement to develop faculty for successful career growth. This review highlights factors and related cofactors that influence career development among dental faculty. Recommendations are presented as potential solutions based on the assessment of similar experiences published by related academic healthcare professions. Dental academia must increase attention to faculty needs and awareness by conducting institutional-specific studies to address these issues with customizable solutions.

Translating Science into Improved Health for All

Our world is at a turning point with biological and social pathogens wreaking havoc at the same time that science and technology are exploding with new discoveries. It is a pivotal time for the new report Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges to be released and a pivotal time for our profession to take action and lead. The art, science, and practice of dentistry is very different from 20 y ago when the original Surgeon General's report was released. We are on the precipice of individualized health care where providers will collaborate to deliver diagnostics and therapeutics that are data driven and inclusive of the social determinants of health. To move forward with alacrity requires a strong scientific foundation, effective educational approaches, an understanding of the upstream determinants of health, and partnerships across the health professions and beyond. Oral health has never been more important, and now is the time for our profession to further develop, elevate, and translate the science into practice and policy to improve the nation's health.

Difficulties experienced by endodontics researchers in conducting studies and writing papers

Objectives

The study investigated the difficulties experienced by endodontics researchers around the world in conducting studies and writing papers.

Materials and Methods

A survey consisting of 18 questions on the difficulties experienced by endodontics researchers in performing studies and writing papers was e-mailed to academics in the field of endodontics working at 202 universities. The independent risk factors were analyzed using binary logistic regression at a significance level of 0.05.

Results

A total of 581 individuals (10.7%) agreed to participate in the study. Almost half the participants (48.2%) reported that they had received some type of training in conducting studies and writing papers. In response to the question, "Do you get help from a statistician to perform the statistical analyses of your studies?," 77.1% answered "yes." Around 40% of the participants stated that the need to obtain ethical approval negatively affected their desire to conduct studies. The participants' regions had no effect on the reported difficulties associated with writing papers in English or conducting statistical analyses (p > 0.05). Most participants (81.8%) reported difficulties in writing the Discussion section, regardless of their region, academic degrees, or years of experience.

Conclusions

The participants stated they experienced difficulties in many areas, such as conducting statistical analyses, finding new ideas, and writing in English. Engaging in a detailed examination of ethics committee rules, expanding biostatistics education, increasing the number of institutions providing research funding, and increasing the number of endodontics journals can increase the enthusiasm of endodontics researchers to publish papers.

Eleven-year experience implementing a dental undergraduate research programme in a prestigious dental school in China: Lessons learned and future prospects

OBJECTIVE

To summarise the lessons learned from implementing a dental undergraduate research programme over the past eleven years and identify key elements to guarantee the success of dental undergraduate research in the future.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An overview of 80 research projects from 2007 to 2017 was provided, consisting of 239 participating undergraduates and 47 faculty advisors. Students' academic performance was compared between participating and non-participating undergraduates. An anonymous questionnaire was designed and distributed to participants, with VAS satisfaction assessment, Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. Questions focused on overall satisfaction, motivation, benefits to student career development and essential elements for the dental undergraduate research programme in the future.

RESULTS

The undergraduate participants had significantly better scores of GPAs (3.41 vs 3.21; P < 0.0001), obtained more awards on the honour rolls (0.53 vs 0.30; P = 0.0171) and published more peer-reviewed articles (1.62 vs 1.31; P = 0.0253) than non-participants. Seventy-two undergraduates (75.79%) and thirty-eight advisors (80.85%) responded to the questionnaire. The overall satisfaction was scored as 78.18/100 and 72.36/100 amongst advisors and students, respectively. Interest was considered the best motivation for participation by students (3.81/5.00) and advisors (4.00/5.00). The research programme was beneficial to students' overall career development. Essential roles played by the dental school, faculty and undergraduates were suggested to improve the research environment.

CONCLUSION

The dental undergraduate research programme has positive effects on students' academic performance. The support of the dental school, the engagement of qualified faculty, the interest and autonomy of students and camaraderie amongst these three key elements are essential for the research programme in the future.

Mitigating Global Oral Health Inequalities: Research Training Programs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Although oral diseases are largely preventable, they are among the most non-communicable diseases globally, and they disproportionately burden disadvantaged communities, specially within low- and middle-income nations. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the social, economic, and health inequalities in our society, including the existing global oral health inequalities. There is a shortage of dentist-scientist all around the world, especially in developing countries, such as Thailand. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and Fogarty International Center (FIC), joined efforts on creating research capacity in oral health in South East Asia through the Fogarty International Center Training Program in Clinical, Public Health and Behavioral Oral Health Research for Thailand (2006-2016). The University of Washington (USA), Thammasat University (Thailand) and Khon Kaen University (Thailand) partnered to conduct short-, medium- and long-term training programs to build regional oral health research capabilities. Investing in research has not only impacted trainees' career development but enhanced advancement of oral health research of South East Asia. The success of partnership calls for expanding oral health research training in other low-income countries.

Career perspectives of senior dental students from different backgrounds at a single Middle Eastern institution

BACKGROUND

Differences between dental students in terms of social, economic and cultural backgrounds are likely to impact their professional career plans. The aim of this study was to explore the professional career plans among final year dental students from different backgrounds at a single Middle Eastern institution (Jordan university of Science and Technology-JUST).

METHODS

Fifth year dental students at JUST were invited to fill out a paper based self-administered questionnaire. Data was collected on students` demographics, their future career plans and the impact of social and economic changes on such plans, their interest in postgraduate studies and the specialty of choice in addition to the influence of a group of factors on that choice. Data was also collected on the value of non-academic workshops, guidance regarding career plans, participants` preferred pattern of work (full-time versus part-time) and retirement plans. Students were categorized according to their nationalities. Pearson's chi squared test, one way ANOVA and post hoc tests were used to measure statistical significance between measured variables and backgrounds of participants. The level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 227 students completed the survey (response rate = 84%). 47% of the participants were Jordanians, 27% were Malaysians, 11% were from Gulf States (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar), 10% were from conflict zones in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Yemen) and 5% comprised students from other nationalities. Significant differences were found between students from different backgrounds in their funding sources (Chi square = 132, P < 0.01), practice plans (Chi square = 43, P < 0.01), the impact of social and economic changes on their career choices (Chi square = 34, P < 0.01), planned work pattern within the first 10 years post-graduation (chi square = 18, P < 0.05) and 10-20 years after graduation (69%, Chi square = 22, P < 0.01) and retirement plans (Chi square = 25, P < 0.05). Students from different nationalities agreed on most factors affecting their choice of a specialty, except for the reputation of the specialty (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Several differences in career plans were found between dental students from variable backgrounds studying a single institution. Many of these disparities could reflect variations in socioeconomic backgrounds.

Effects of a Research Requirement for Dental Students: A Retrospective Analysis of Students' Perspectives Across Ten Years

For many years, Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) has had a research requirement for predoctoral students, but a recent curriculum assessment prompted a re-examination of that requirement and how it is implemented. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the students' perspectives on research in a predoctoral dental program in which a research experience was mandatory for graduation. Data that had been collected in graduating student surveys from 2008 to 2017 were analyzed to gauge students' perceptions of the research program in the previous curriculum (New Pathways) and to seek insights to improve the next generation of this requirement in the Pathways curriculum. In the results, 74% of the students reported their research experience had a positive impact on their dental education. Half of the students (49%) indicated they would have pursued research even if it had not been a graduation requirement, while 37% were uncertain. A large majority (82%) said they would remain involved in research during their dental career. The majority of these HSDM students had contributed to scholarship with presentations and published results, planning of projects, or preparation of manuscripts. These results show that the research requirement has had a positive effect on students' perspectives on research as a part of their careers.

Oral Health Research and Scholarship in 2040: Executive Summary

This executive summary for Section 6 of the "Advancing Dental Education in the 21^st Century" project provides an overview of five background articles that address the role of research and scholarship in dental education in the year 2040. Beginning with a historical account of research and discovery science in dentistry's evolution as a profession, the article then reviews the role of early thought leaders and organized dentistry in establishing research as a cornerstone of dental education and dental practice. The dental research workforce faces an uncertain future fueled by a volatile funding environment and inadequate mentoring and training of research faculty. Dental schools must forge stronger academic and scientific ties to their university and academic health centers and will be challenged to develop sustainable research and patient care collaborations with other health professions. The changing health care environment will create new opportunities for oral health care providers to expand their scope of practice and focus on prevention and screening for non-communicable chronic diseases. Dental practitioners in the future are likely to place greater emphasis on managing the overall health of their patients while promoting closer integration with other health professionals. All dental schools must develop a sustainable research mission if they hope to graduate dentists who function effectively in a collaborative health care environment. The changing scientific and health care landscape will dramatically alter dental education and dental practice. Dental schools need to reconsider their research and educational priorities and clinical practice objectives. Until dental schools and the practicing community come to grips with these challenges, a persistent attitude of complacency will likely be at the dental profession's peril.