Spotlight on Student Research: 2021 Fall Research Symposium

Twenty-four dental students taking part in the 2020-21 Dental Student Research Fellowship Program presented their findings Oct. 21 in the first UCSF School of Dentistry Fall Research Symposium.

The projects presented culminated the fellows’ work in the program and showcased a variety of projects in the basic sciences, dental public health, and clinical research. Each fellow delivered a 4-minute research presentation followed by a single audience question. To maintain social distancing, in-person attendance was limited to fellows and their faculty mentors, while the symposium was broadcast live online to the entire School of Dentistry community. A recording of the event is available here.

Benjamin Chaffee, DDS, MPH, PhD, acting chair of the fellowship program, said: “This event celebrated months of hard work and was an opportunity to share in the fellows’ collective achievements. The level of sophistication in research methodology was top-notch. Research findings and their practical implications were clearly communicated. Perhaps most impressive was how much research progress was accomplished under the challenging circumstances caused by the pandemic. This group’s resilience is as striking as its science.”

About the program: The Dental Student Research Fellowship Program offers UCSF dental students the opportunity to participate in mentored research. In the months between their first and second years of dental school, a select number of students work closely with faculty mentors to conduct research on a topic of importance to dentistry. Working with leaders in research, students learn the methods, tools and language of science, an introduction that propels many of them into careers in academia. The Dental Student Research Fellowship Program has a long and illustrious history at UCSF; it is considered one of the most enriching educational experiences for dental students at UCSF, and a talent incubator for developing future leaders within our profession.

>> See full program: http://tiny.ucsf.edu/fallsymposium