Dental Student Engagement in Research: A Survey of California Dental Schools

Objective Research engagement is a vital component of dental education, fostering the development of evidence-based practices and advancing the field of dentistry. Understanding factors that influence research involvement among dental students can help enhance educational strategies and support systems.Methods This study used an online survey tool to examine patterns of research engagement and involvement in student research groups (SRGs) and evaluated the future research aspirations of students in California dental schools.Results Respondents (n = 94) were predominantly from the University of the Pacific (UOP) (44.7%), followed by the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) (27.7%), and the University of Southern California (USC) (7.4%) with the remaining from Loma Linda University (LLU), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), and Western University (Western U). The vast majority (73.4%) of respondents had undergraduate research experience. During their dental or PhD programs, 36.2% were members of SRGs with 54.2% involved in research. Only 18.1% joined SRGs in their first year. Additionally, 38.3% presented their research at conferences, and 25.5% published their research. In the future, 52.1% of students plan to continue research after graduation.Conclusions The number of students planning future research involvement underscores the need for continued promotion of research opportunities within dental programs. The level of SRG membership shows room for improving participation among students and the potential to increase early engagement. This data on student engagement in research highlight the importance of continued promotion of research opportunities in dental schools.