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Kornberg School of Dentistry
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Science in Dental Practice Program: Student and Faculty Research and Scholarly Activities

DMD Research Program

The Kornberg School of Dentistry provides several research opportunities to students in the Doctor of Medical Dentistry (DMD) program. Research training is offered through Science in Dental Practice I and II courses, and students demonstrate their knowledge and experience by completing the research practice requirement, which consists of a

  • critical case review,
  • mentored research study or
  • systematic review.

Additionally, the annual Research Day provides an opportunity for students to present the results of their research and secure presentation time at national meetings held by the International Association for Dental Research and the American Public Health Association, among others. Learn more about research efforts at Kornberg.

Science in Dental Practice

Taken during the first year of study, the Science in Dental Practice (SIDP) I course offers insight into the science behind clinical dental practice. Students learn how to obtain and critically appraise scientific literature, in order to identify the best evidence for optimal dental care. The course also emphasizes the importance of innovation in dentistry.

Offered during the second, third and fourth years of study, the SIDP II course provides opportunities for hands-on participation in mentored scholarship and research. Students apply their experience to project-based learning by conducting research studies, systematic reviews or critical case reviews.

Research Studies

The following are several methods for approaching the research studies option.

Basic Science Research Study

 This research type encompasses scientific disciplines such as biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology and physiology, and involves laboratory studies that incorporate animal studies, cell cultures and physiological experiments.

Translational Science Research Study

This research type is characterized by the movement of discoveries in basic research to application at the clinical level.

Clinical Research Study

 This patient-oriented research type is either conducted with human subjects or on material of human origin such as cognitive phenomena, specimens and tissues.

Behavioral Research Study

This research type entails the study of behavioral and social processes; interactions between biology, behavior and social processes; or methodology and measurement. 

Survey-based Research Study 

This research type allows for a variety of methods to recruit participants, collect data and use various methods of instrumentation. This method can incorporate qualitative data (e.g., using open-ended questions), quantitative data (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items) or a blend of the two.

Systematic Reviews

These are investigations that use scientific methods to identify, select, assess and summarize the findings of similar studies. The SIDP systematic review must answer a question relevant to oral healthcare or dental education by appraising the following types of literature.

  • Biomedical
  • Clinical
  • Educational
  • Epidemiologic
  • Translational

Critical Case Reviews

Students explore and review an interesting case they encountered during their clinical years, building a case review that stimulates critical thinking and contributes a unique learning experience or information that is new to Kornberg. Possible focuses for a critical case review include

  • diseases,
  • failed restorations,
  • techniques,
  • treatment methodologies and
  • unique risk factors.
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Research Day

Held every spring, Research Day highlights the collective achievements of the Kornberg School of Dentistry by bringing together faculty and students to share their activities and findings. A culminating event for those completing DMD and postgraduate programs, Research Day provides an opportunity for students to present the results of their research studies. Select presenters are honored during an awards ceremony.

The event also includes a robust program of presentations by invited speakers, including the following recent guests.

  • Angela Lee Duckworth, University of Pennsylvania
    True Grit
  • Warren Grayson, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
    Traveling the Long Road to Clinical Translation of Tissue-Engineered Bone Grafts
  • Kenneth Kornman, Interleukin Genetics
    Inflammation: Your Health, and the Health of Your Patients
  • Marko Vujicic, Health Policy Institute at the American Dental Association
    What Got Us Here Won’t Get Us There: The Future of Dental Education and Practice