Training the next generation of clinical oral health researchers 

The Pacific-Stanford Practice-Based Research Integrating Multidisciplinary Experiences in Dental Schools (PRIMED) Program will integrate practice-based research into daily clinical practice. A collaboration between University of the Pacific and Stanford University, PRIMED focuses on the next generation of clinical oral health researchers by providing formal training and mentorship to students, residents, faculty and alumni. The goals are to enhance clinical research skills, translate biomedical findings into practice, and ultimately achieve optimal oral health outcomes. University of the Pacific and Stanford University have a longstanding history of collaboration and are ideal partners to engage research faculty, clinical faculty, students and residents to conduct practice-based research in three areas: sleep medicine, oral cancer and developing the Pacific-Stanford biobank. 

This project is supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health under award number 1U01DE033276-01. NIDCR NIH

PRIMED Leadership and Investigators

PRIMED Program Management | University of the Pacific

MPIS | University of the Pacific

MPIs | Stanford

Co-Investigators | University of the Pacific

Co-Investigators | Stanford

Education

Fundamentals of Clinical Research

 

The Fundamentals of Clinical Research Training Program is designed to provide a solid foundation in clinical research for students, residents and staff. 

Totaling 20 hours of training, this program will engage participants in a curriculum based on and delivered by the highly regarded Stanford Essentials of Clinical Research Program.

 

Catering to the unique needs of our dental clinics, the core classes will cover essential topics outlined by the Joint Task Force Core Competency Framework and NCATS/CTSA consortium. Faculty embarking on their clinical research careers can also opt for this program before advancing to the Comprehensive Clinical Research Training Program. Training sessions, led by core faculty from the Dugoni School and Stanford, will feature didactic overviews and experiential practices, including real-world issues encountered in clinical settings.

 

The Fundamentals in Clinical Research program will cover:

  • Clinical research resources
  • Clinical research and trial best practices
  • Documentation
  • Informed consent
  • Study team roles and responsibilities and the delegation of authority
  • Ethics and clinical research
  • General and IRB reporting requirements
  • ClinicalTrials.gov
  • Research phases and study design
  • Critical evaluation and appraisal of published studies

Comprehensive Clinical Research 

 

The Comprehensive Clinical Research Training Program for students, residents, alumni and faculty includes bimonthly virtual and in-person sessions totalling 40 hours annually. 

Each participant will be assigned to a clinical research study team, working collaboratively with clinical research faculty and a methods mentor from the Dugoni School and/or Stanford for a minimum of four hours monthly.

In the final two months, participants will deliver a formal presentation on their project developed during the year of training. This, along with completing an exam and an evaluation survey, will serve as the basis for obtaining your certificate of completion. Annual refresher training will also be offered.

The Comprehensive Clinical Research Training Program will cover:

  • Clinical research methods
  • Developing a clinical protocol
  • Reviewing a study protocol
  • Designing, conducting and analyzing clinical trials and observational studies
  • Ethics and clinical research
  • Statistical reasoning, sample size and power
  • Evaluating diagnostic, prediction and screening tests

  • Statistical methods for discrete, continuous and survival variables
  • Medical journal writing, review and publishing
  • Rigor and reproducibility
  • Preparing plans for analysis and data management
  • Publishing your data
  • Critical appraisal of published studies
  • Implementation science
  • Qualitative research and questionnaire design
  • Getting grant funding 

Our Clinical Research Training Program sets a new standard in dental education, ensuring that all graduates possess the fundamental knowledge and skills required for successful, compliant clinical research in their future endeavors.  

Clinical Research Programs

 

Saliva Biobank

The saliva biobank program collects saliva, blood and tissue samples from consenting patients of the dental clinics at the Dugoni School. Samples collected will be from a range of patients receiving routine care, as well as from pediatric and xerostomic cancer patients. The Biobank will support integrated medical, oral and dental research studies. Samples are shipped from the Dugoni School to Stanford University for processing, storage and distribution, adhering to federal guidelines. The Stanford Biobank uses LIMS for tracking, maintains -80°C freezers with wireless monitoring and follows best practices for biospecimen quality.  

Sleep Study

The Sleep Medicine Clinic at the Dugoni School utilizes routine assessments, including sleep questionnaires, to evaluate patients. Individuals identified as potentially at risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) undergo thorough examinations and, if confirmed, are referred to the Stanford Sleep Medicine Department for a detailed sleep study. After receiving and assessing the study results, we engage in discussions regarding treatment options, including interventions such as orthopedic appliances for pediatric cases, and oral appliance therapy (OAT) for adults. Follow-up assessments are conducted at 1, 3, and 6 months, involving meticulous data collection through sleep questionnaires and intraoral scans. This systematic approach aims to assess the effectiveness of OAT in managing OSA.

Oral Cancer Study

The study aims to understand and manage premalignant oral lesions through comprehensive clinical and longitudinal assessments. Eligible patients with premalignant lesions are confirmed with moderate to severe dysplasia. Dental students and residents will enrol  patients, collecting consent forms, demographic information, medical history, physical exams and imaging during routine clinic visits. Biopsy specimens are obtained under faculty supervision, with follow-up on pathology results. Patients with confirmed dysplasia return for saliva and blood collection. Postoperative assessments and longitudinal follow-ups occur at the school’s Premalignant Lesion Clinic, with visit frequencies based on dysplasia severity. Serial biopsies are possible during long-term follow-up, contributing to the REDCap database.

Every patient will have the opportunity to take part in clinical research 

Program Projections

200 dental students, residents, select faculty and alumni will be trained in undertaking clinical research programs each year. 275 faculty and alumni will complete comprehensive clinical research. All trained individuals will participate in clinical research.

Rebecca Moazzez at podium
SF campus

Sites

  • University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA
  • University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
  • Stanford University, Stanford, CA
  • Veterans' Administration, San Francisco, CA
NIH

Funding

This project is supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health under award number 1U01DE033276-01.

students taking oath

In the news

‘Possibly the first’ in the world? Pacific dentistry students take new dentist-scientist oath (Aug. 28, 2024)

Pacific collaborating with Stanford to train next generation of clinical oral health researchers (Oct. 22, 2023)