School of Dental Medicine

Research/Scholarship

SIU SDM Research Handbook

The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine Research Handbook is intended to assist faculty and students in their efforts to develop and manage their research projects. The handbook provides information about internal funding, external funding, research compliance protocols, and the ethical and responsible conduct of research.

Student Research

2022 Research Day - Honors Students for Projects with Broad Professional and Academic Impact

Throughout the year, dental students engage in intense and advanced research that brings them closer to their career paths. Following months of innovative and creative work, either individual or collaborative, Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) recognizes the global significance of such outstanding research at an annual event that features research presentations and awards.

The annual SIU SDM Research Day highlights the importance of such work to advance the dentistry profession and dental education. This year’s Research Day event was held in April and featured Omar Escontrías, PhD, PH, MPH, as the guest speaker.

Escontrías is the senior director of policy research at the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), and he delivered a pair of timely lectures for SDM students, faculty and staff. The lectures were entitled, “A Deeper Understanding of Policy Research: Key Findings from the ADEA opioid epidemic and COVID-19 impact surveys” and “The Opioid Epidemic and Oral Health Inequities: Two parallel Public Health Crises in Historically Underrepresented and Racial/Ethnic Groups.”

Nathalia Garcia, DDS, MS, SIU SDM interim director of Research and Chair of the Department of Applied Dental Medicine, noted the importance of health policy research in academic dentistry.

“The presentations offered by Dr. Escontrias highlighted fundamental issues that dental schools are currently facing,” said Garcia. “He introduced the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental schools’ operations and finances. He also discussed the impact of the opioid crisis, explaining the coexistence of the opioid epidemic and oral health inequities.”

“These matters are relevant and quite timely,” she added. “It is important to keep our dental school community informed about current trends in the national dental academic environment.”

Following the insightful presentations by Escontrías, an award for the first-place winner of the Student Table Clinic Competition was presented to Kaitlyn Stanton, a second-year professional student at the SIU SDM, for her research, entitled “Survivability of Oral Pathogen and Commensal Bacteria After Exposure to SmartMouth Clinical, DDS and Other Mouth Rinses.” The research was carried out under the supervision of Barbara McCracken, PhD.

The engagement and participation of dental student researchers, in conjunction with their mentoring faculty, helped make the SIU SDM Research Day a successful event. Additional research contributions from the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) students, as well as SIU SDM faculty researchers, enriched the learning experience.

Garcia expressed her sincere gratitude to all who helped make the 2022 Research Day a success.

“I applaud the efforts of the faculty mentors for inspiring student researchers, as well as the faculty researchers who work to develop independent and collaborative research initiatives,” said Garcia.

“Certainly, the ongoing support from the school administration was fundamental to encourage students to pursue their interest in research endeavors. Also, the collaboration from the research table clinic judges, including SIU SDM faculty and esteemed members of the Illinois Dental Society Foundation, was instrumental in recognizing the accomplishments of those involved.”

 SIU SDM Research Day Student Table Clinic Competition Winners:

• • First Place Overall
    
    • Kaitlyn Stanton - As first place overall winner, Kaitlyn Stanton won the Dentsply Award which is given to the ASDA member with the highest score. The Dentsply Award includes an all-expense paid trip to the Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research and its Application (SCADA) scheduled for March 15-18, 2023, in Portland, OR, jointly sponsored by Dentsply Sirona and AADR. She will also receive $150 prize. She was mentored in her research by Dr. Barbara McCracken.
  • Seond Place Overall
    • Joshua Koerner - He will be the designated representative to the Hinman Student Research Symposium sponsored by The University of Tennessee held in Memphis, TN, October 28-29, 2021. He will also receive $100 prize for Second Place overall. He was mentored in his research by Dr. Sue Chhay 

• • Third Place Overall and ASDA People's Choice Winner:
    
    • Mitchell Muller - He will receive the ASDA travel award to a meeting of his choice to present his research. As third place overall winner, he will also receive a $100 prize. He was mentored in his research by Drs. Bret Gruender and Mohamed Omran. 

Also recognized were the Illinois State Dental Society (ISDS) Foundation’s Research Competition awards:

• Basic Science and Research: Kaitlyn Stanton (Faculty mentor: Barbara McCracken)
• Clinical Application and Techniques: Joshua Koerner (Faculty mentors: Dr. Sue Chhay) 

Student Table Clinics Competition displays included:

• Josh Koerner, “Effects of Silver Diamine Fluoride Treatment on Shear Bond Strength of RMGI and PGI at Various Time Intervals”
• Amritpal Kullar, “Response of the Masticatory Muscles to Posterior Bite Opening in an Animal Model”
• Mitchell Muller, “Assessment and Comparison of the Survivability Rates of Full Arch Implant Restorations: A Review and Meta-analysis”
• Kaitlyn Stanton, “Survivability of Oral Pathogen and Commensal Bacteria After Exposure to SmartMouth Clinical, DDS and Other Mouth Rinses”
• Meredith Wolf, Madison Moore, Yeongcheol Won, Mason Plotner, “Bite Blocks: Electrode Wire Selection for Chronic Electromyography in Rats”

Other significant contributors toward the success of the SIU SDM Research Day included:

• Students and Resident Researchers: Beau Byers, Thomas Weber, and Dr. Kapil Jadhav
• URCA Students: Valeriya Fedyukora, Darlene Sandoval, Lindsay Star, and Lucia Thompson
• Faculty Mentors: Drs. Sue Chhay, Alicia De Maria, Feras Al khatib, Dan Welch, Achint Utreja, Bret Gruender, Mohamed Omran, Barbara McCracken, Cinnamon Van Putte, and Christa Hopp.
• Faculty Researchers: Drs. Sara Whitener, Doug Miley, Charles Hildebolt, Nathalia Garcia, Katherine Hanser, Mohamed Omran, Robert Blackwell, and Alicia De Maria

Photos:

Omar Escontrías, PhD, PH, MPH, was the guest speaker at SIU SDM’s Research Day.

Second-year SIU SDM student Kaitlyn Stanton (center) took first place in the Research Day Student Table Clinic Competition. She stands with SIU SDM Interim Dean Duane Douglas, DMD, and SIU SDM Interim Director of Research and Chair of the Department of Applied Dental Medicine Nathalia Garcia, DDS, MS.

Dean’s Student Research Fellowship Program

Each year, funding is made available for student participation in research, sponsored by SDM faculty. Research fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis as determined by merit of a submitted research proposal. This program is designed to introduce a student to research. Funding for a second year student is approved only in rare cases. Details of the research program and how to apply are offered through the links that follow:

• Dean’s Student Research Fellowship Guidelines and Checklist [pdf]
• Prospectus  [pdf]
• Cover Sheet  [pdf]
• Budget Request Form [pdf]
• Report Form [pdf]

SIU SDM Research Committee

All research conducted by SDM faculty (regardless of the type or source of funding) and changes to current/ongoing research projects must be approved in advance by the SDM Research Committee. No scholarly activity points will be awarded for research activity which was not pre-approved by the Research Committee.

The SDM Research Committee requests all materials which need consideration and/or approval be submitted to Office of Research for processing at least one week before the next committee meeting. The SDM Research Committee meeting schedule is:

Other important events for 2022-2023

April 3, 2023 (Tentative): Research Day Table Clinic Competition

April 4, 2023 (Tentative): Research Day

TBD: The Central Illinois Academy of General Dentistry (CIAGD) will be hosting a student research presentation from Noon until 2:00 PM in Hoag Hall. Each of the students that presented their projects during the SDM Research Day is invited to present their research at this event.

If you have any questions, please contact the Director of Research or any member of the SDM Research Committee for assistance.

• Dr. Achint Utreja, Chair; Ext. 7215
• Dr. Abigail Eilerman, Vice-Chair; Ext. 7131
• Dr. Cinnamon VanPutte; Ext. 7212
• Dr. Danny Welch; Ext. 7248
• Dr. Mohamed Omran; Ext. 7213
• Dr. Nathalia Garcia; Director of Research, Ex-Officio; Ext. 7180
• Dr. Douglas Miley, Consultant; Ext. 7208
  
  
  

Pilot Project Application Forms

• Pilot Project Guidelines [.doc]
• Budget Request [.doc]
• Application Cover Sheet [.doc]
• Report Form [.doc]

Advanced Investigation Award Application Forms

• SDM AIA Guidelines [.doc]
• Budget Request [.doc]
• Application Cover Sheet [.doc]
• Report Form [.doc]

SDM Research Projects – No Funds Requested (N.F.R.)

• NEW SDM Research Project - No Funds Requested - Application 2016 [.doc]

SDM STimulus Award for Resubmissions (STAR)

• SDM STimulus Award for Resubmissions (STAR) Guidelines [pdf]

Other Office of Research Forms

• Faculty Travel Request Form [.doc]
• University-Funded Travel Release Form [.doc] 
• Graduate Student Travel Request Form [.doc]
• SIUE Graduate School Travel Budget Worksheet [.doc]
• Research Supply Order Form [.doc]
• Research Equipment Request Form [.doc]
• Supplemental Grant Award Form [.doc]
  
  
  

American Association for Dental Research

The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine is an Institutional Section member of the American Association for Dental Research, and we encourage our faculty, research staff and students to join AADR at the individual level. Dedicated scientists turn to AADR to move their research into action.

Being an AADR member will give you:

• Increased opportunities to advocate for the future of dental, oral and craniofacial research;
• Online access to cutting-edge science published in the Journal of Dental Research;
• A subscription to the monthly AADR Science Advocate e-newsletter;
• Discounted registration rates to attend AADR and IADR meetings;
• A platform to network and collaborate with researchers and others in the field of dentistry;
• And much more!

For more information and to join, visit http://www.iadr.org/AADR/Join-Renew/Join-Us