Summer Dental Research Program

Summer Dental Research Opportunites

The School of Dental Medicine is a nationally recognized center for dental research. Students who take advantage of research opportunities become far more knowledgeable of their profession regardless of whether or not they choose a career in dental research.

Participation in research:

  • Encourages critical review and analysis of scientific design — skills crucial to the development of clinical competence in diagnosing and treating patients
  • Provides insight into additional career alternatives; some participants have chosen to pursue careers in academic dentistry following their research
  • Allows students to interact and work with faculty under more informal circumstances; many students work with a single faculty member on research in a specific area that extends over three or four years
  • May lead to publication of research in scientific literature, as well as travel for presentation of data at national and international meetings

Steps for Participation

Identify and contact mentor (be persistent)

Write a research proposal with that individual

  • Attain IACUC or IRB approval if needed

Submit proposal for review (success greater than 90%)

Spend 5/6 weeks* doing summer research

  • wet lab or clinical data analyses
  • attend weekly research seminar (every Tuesday)
  • present work at biomedical research retreat (end of summer)
  • present at the annual SDM Student Research Day (following spring)
  • encouraged to present at scientific meetings (AADR, AAO, AAP)