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OHSU Dental Students Win National Research Fellowships

Two students from Oregon Health & Science University's School of Dentistry (www.ohsu.edu/sod) recently won prestigious summer research fellowships from the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) at its annual conference. In 2006 only eight of the 54 dental schools in the United States had AADR summer research fellowships winners. A total of 19 fellowships were awarded nationally.

"This is quite a feather in our cap," said Jack Clinton, D.M.D., dean of the School of Dentistry. "Only one dental school in the country received more student research fellowships than we did. These awards really speak to the well-roundedness of our dental education and the myriad research opportunities available to our dental students."

The 2006 AADR student research fellowship winners from OHSU include:

 * Alan Chen, a first-year dental student, who will work with School of Dentistry professor and chairman of restorative dentistry Jack L. Ferracane, Ph.D., and School of Dentistry alumni centennial professor in operative dentistry Thomas J. Hilton, D.M.D., to study the "Methods for Reducing Stress and Enhancing Bond Strength in Dental Composite Restorations." The study is sponsored by the AADR Dental Materials Group.

 * Craig Elgin, a first-year dental student, who will work with School of Dentistry biomaterials and biomechanics assistant professor John Mitchell, Ph.D., and biomaterials and biomechanics assistant professor Gayle Laughlin, Ph.D., to explore "Changes in Native Tooth Strain During Cavity Preparation and Composite Resin Restoration." The study is sponsored by Pfizer, Inc.

"It is critical for dental students to develop logic and an analytical approach," said John Mitchell, Ph.D., faculty adviser to the School of Dentistry's Student Research Group. "Dental students will be doing research on a small scale for the rest of their professional lives as they make decisions concerning ever-changing products and techniques for their patients and these fellowships give them great research experience."

Students apply for AADR summer research fellowships by submitting a research proposal and must be sponsored by a faculty member. Each student winner receives a $2,100 stipend and $300 for supplies.

 "We are very proud of our student research fellowship winners and hope to have even more winners in 2007," said Clinton.

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