Clinician-Scientist Incubator for Clinical Dental Research (Clin.Science)

Project Abstract Clinical Dental Research is fundamental to the progress of the profession and patient care. Current opportunities in US dental schools are limited. Our proposal will help develop the next generation of Dental Clinician-Scientists. Our project will create a regional clinical research symposium, a Clinical Research Network, a collaborative Clinical Research Pathway, a developmental, multi-site clinical study quantifying the effects of inflammation levels on dental implant success, and a clinical research track within the current MS in Oral Biology program. Our tactic is: To provide collaborative arrangements with various institutions to leverage clinical research resources, facilitation of research relationships, a developmental multi-site clinical study, and opportunities and skills development in clinical dental research. Our overall objective is: to make a substantial impact on the future of clinical dental research through skills development, collaboration, and guidance for the clinician-scientists of the future. Our specific aims are: 1: To expand our research network and capabilities, we will develop a new regional clinical research symposium where students, residents, and faculty from Augusta University (AU) and other universities will have the opportunity to share their research and build relationships for future projects. 2: We will build a clinical dental research network and resource center consisting of a clinical research pathway, increased engagement with the DCG student dental research society, and a repository of available funding and support opportunities available to new clinical investigators. Resources will be made available to all AU parties interested in performing clinical research. 3: To demonstrate the applicability of practice-based clinical research, we will perform the following developmental, multi-center, 3-year investigation: “Salivary inflammatory marker levels predictive ability for quantified marginal bone loss (MBL) around dental implants and risk of implant failure.” The primary outcome of this study is quantification of the prognostic ability of inflammatory markers in saliva for marginal bone loss around dental implants. 4: To increase formal clinical research opportunities, we will modify the existing MS in Oral Biology program to offer a track in clinical research. This program will produce the next generation of dental clinician-scientists who understand research, are well equipped to contribute, and who actively advance patient outcomes through enhanced implementation of evidence-based care. Future goals include: 1) collaborative clinical research opportunities for students, residents, and faculty from other dental colleges, and 2) a robust, largely asynchronous, clinical research skills certificate program available remotely.