Summer Dental Research Program

This program is held each year during early fall (May-July) and offers predoctoral students the opportunity to work with a faculty mentor on a research project. Projects may involve wet lab work, clinical data analysis, etc. Students are supported by a stipend provided by the Office of the Dean. 

Participation in the Summer Dental Research Program requires students to:

• Be in good academic standing as of June 15.
• Obtain necessary training and required institutional approval for research involving human subjects, animals, and/or use of radiation.
• Commit consistent blocks of time to the project during the program period.
• Attend the weekly research seminar (CLD 870) held during early fall.
• Present at the annual SDM Student Research Day held the following spring.

1. Identify and contact mentor. (Be persistent.) Tips on how to find a mentor and a list of potential mentors can be found on the Find a Faculty Mentor page.
2. Submit Letter of Intent (optional). Template is available below.
3. Write a research proposal with your mentor.
4. Submit proposal for review (success rate greater than 90%).
5. Conduct research for 5-6 weeks over the summer. 
6. Present a poster at the annual SDM Student Research Day.

Six important documents form a full proposal application. All documents should be converted and compiled into a single PDF for submission. The primary mentor should submit the completed application package to Dr. Keith Kirkwood at sdm-adr@buffalo.edu. 

1. Cover Sheet.
2. Main Proposal: Each submission must be double spaced, 0.5-inch margins and size 12 Arial font. The proposal document is limited to four pages. Any standard reference style (MLA, APA) is acceptable. Each full proposal must include the following sections:
   • Specific Aims: State concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved. List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.
   • Research Strategy:
     • Significance: Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses. Explain how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields. Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.
     • Innovation: Explain how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms. Describe any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s) to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s). Explain any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions.
     • Approach: Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted.
3. References (one page)
4. Letter of Support from mentor listing available resources to complete the proposed work (one page)
5. Mentor CV or NIH Biosketck. View a template, example and instructions on the NIH website.
6. Student CV or NIH Biosketch. View a template, example and instructions on the NIH website.