Tufts University School of Dental Medicine enthusiastically supports student research activities. The Student Research Fellowship Program provides predoctoral dental students with the opportunity to earn a stipend while performing research under the supervision of University faculty. The Deans Research Scholarship is a new initiative directed at incoming dental students to help them get involved with research as soon as they enter dental school. Another new student research initiative is the Research Journal Club meeting, at which students meet monthly to discuss research articles facilitated by faculty researchers with different areas of expertise.

Some recent examples of projects our students have been involved in include:

• A comparative analysis of intimate partner violence and dental care needs in Massachusetts.
• The role of cell-cell interactions in oral cancer
• The use of human dental pulp cells in bone tissue engineering
• The relationship of craniofacial morphology to second molar development

In addition to extra knowledge gained during research, other benefits of participating in student research include:

• Applying knowledge gained in the classroom to real-world situations
• Networking with faculty beyond the classroom
• Establishing support groups consisting of faculty and other students
• Getting published
• Improving critical thinking skills
• Enhancing your resume
• Traveling to research conferences
• Earning money while learning