Summer Dental Research Program

This program is held each year during early fall (June-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 1, 2026.
• 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 a mentor. (Be persistent.) Check out the Find a Faculty Mentor page for tips on finding a mentor.
2. Write a research proposal with your mentor.
3. Submit proposal for review.
4. Conduct research for 8 weeks over the summer/early fall. 
5. Present a poster at the annual SDM Student Research Day.

There are seven important documents that form a full SDRP 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 Imon Candelaria, PhD (Senior Program Coordinator, Oral Biology) at imongosw@buffalo.edu.

1. Cover page. Download the cover page.
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. Signed 2026 Summer Research Program Student and Mentor Agreement Form. Download the mentor agreement form.
6. Mentor CV or NIH Biosketch. View a template, example and instructions on the NIH website.
7. Student CV or NIH Biosketch. View a template, example and instructions on the NIH website.