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 erosive toothwear and dental caries microbiome research. 

NIDCR NIH

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

“Making research the easiest thing a clinician can do”

Program by the Numbers

1,000 dental students, residents, select faculty and alumni will be trained in the Fundamentals of Clinical Research Program, and 220 participants will complete the Comprehensive Clinical Research Training Program. All trained individuals will have the opportunity to participate in clinical research.  

PRIMED group photo

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

 

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.  

Fundamentals of Clinical Research Training Program

 

The Fundamentals of Clinical Research Training Program is designed to provide a solid foundation in clinical research for students, residents, and staff. Running annually from September to June, this 20-hour program engages participants in a curriculum based on and delivered by the highly regarded Stanford Essentials of Clinical Research Program. Graduates of the Fundamentals program culminate their journey with the Dentist Scientist Oath at the end of the academic year, symbolizing their commitment to research excellence and ethical practice.

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. To obtain the certificate from Stanford University, participants must complete CITI training, undertake the Dentist Scientist Oath, and pass an exam for the Fundamentals program.

Fundamentals Program covers:

  • Good clinical research practices
  • Data integrity and documentation
  • Ethics in clinical research
  • Informed consent
  • IRB reporting requirements
  • Phases of a research project
  • Registration, reporting and clinictrials.gov
  • Finding, appraising, and synthesizing evidence from the scientific literature

Comprehensive Clinical Research Program

 

The Comprehensive Clinical Research Training Program for students, residents, alumni and faculty includes bimonthly virtual and in-person sessions totaling 40 hours annually. The course runs from September to June.

As part of the program, participants will undertake a group clinical research project, developing during the year of training. To obtain certification from Stanford, participants must also complete CITI training, undertake the Dentist Scientist Oath, and work collaboratively on a group clinical research project. Annual refresher training will also be offered.

Applications for the inaugural class are now closed; please wait for the next cycle in 2025–2026.

The comprehensive Clinical Research Training Program covers:

  • Intro to Clinical Research Methods
  • Developing a Clinical Protocol
  • How to Review a Study Protocol
  • How to Design and Analyze Clinical Trials
  • Designing and Conducting Observational Studies
  • Introduction to Statistical Reasoning, Sample Size, and Power

  • Statistical Methods for Discrete, Continuous, and Survival Variables
  • How to Conduct Ethical Research or Ethics and Clinical Research
  • How to Evaluate Diagnostic, Prediction, and Screening Tests
  • What is Rigor and Reproducibility?
  • How to Prepare Plans for Analysis and Data Management

  • How to Critically Appraise Published Studies
  • How Dental/Medical Journals Review Papers and How to Write for Them
  • ·What is Implementation Science?
  • Qualitative Research and Questionnaire Design
  • How to Get Grant Funding
  • Working with Industry

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

Clinical Research Programs

 

Microbiome Study

The ETW and Dental Caries study explores how the bacteria in saliva (the salivary microbiome) may contribute to Erosive Tooth Wear (ETW) and dental cavities. We’re recruiting 128 patients with ETW, 128 with cavities, and 128 healthy individuals from the University of the Pacific dental clinics. Participants will donate a saliva sample and share basic health and dental history information.

The saliva will be analyzed at Stanford University to study its bacterial makeup and identify specific genes linked to ETW or cavities. This research could help us better understand these conditions and develop more targeted ways to prevent and treat them.

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.

Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN)

Clinicians who have completed the Fundamentals of Clinical Research Program and/or the Comprehensive Clinical Research Training Program may be invited to join the Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN). This network offers an opportunity to engage in real-world clinical research within dental practice settings. By collaborating with experienced researchers and clinicians, PBRN members can contribute to evidence-based practice, further develop their research skills, and play an active role in advancing dental care through their daily practice.

SF campus

Sites

  • University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA
  • University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
  • Pacific Health Care Collaborative, Sacramento, 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.

research oath

Gifts and Donations

With the promising success of this program, we have been awarded additional funding from the:

  • Loos Family Foundation for the Early Detection of Cancer
  • Wang family, via Dr. Blair Bittner

News

Stanford-UOP team brings clinical research learning to dental school (Nov. 2024)

Dugoni School of Dentistry and Stanford Colleagues Launch Innovative Clinical Research Collaboration (Oct. 7, 2024)

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

Stanford Medicine collaborates with University of the Pacific to expand access to specialty care (July 31, 2024)

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

 

Publications

"A Dentist-Scientist Oath", Lam DK, O’Hara R, Sunwoo JB, Borghi JA, Tirumalasetty J, Nadershahi NA, Moazzez R., JADA 2025. In press