AADOCR Student Research Fellowships

• A maximum of five applications per institution will be accepted for review.
• A maximum of one student applicant per faculty advisor will be allowed.
• Students must be enrolled in an accredited DDS/DMD, combined DDS/PhD program or hygiene program in a dental (health-associated) institution within the USA.
• Students must be sponsored by a faculty member at that institution.
• Students should not have received their degree, nor should they be due to receive their degree in the year of the award (2021). Applicants may have an advanced degree in a basic science subject; and
• Candidates MUST be AADOCR members.

The AADOCR Fellowships Committee will coordinate review of the proposals. Each proposal will be evaluated on its scientific merits in a manner similar to that used for NIDCR grants. Each reviewer will give a numerical rating to each proposal. The scores of all reviewers will then be averaged to give an overall priority score, which will be used as the basis for funding. Awards will be made on the basis of creativity of the project, its feasibility, and its potential significance to oral health research.

Instructions are given in the step by step online submission process.

Each submission must be typed with sections 1-2 double spaced and sections 3-5 single spaced. PROPOSALS LONGER THAN 4 PAGES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

(Proposals include sections 1-5 below).
Each proposal must include the following:

1. Specific Aims
   State concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved.
   
   List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.
2. Research Strategy
   Include Significance, Innovation and Approach
   1. Significance
      Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses.
      Explain how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields.
      Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.
   2. Innovation
      Explain how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms.
      Describe any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s) to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s).
      Explain any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions.
   3. Approach
      Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Unless addressed separately in Item 5.5.15, include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted as well as any resource sharing plans as appropriate.
      Discuss potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims.
      If the project is in the early stages of development, describe any strategy to establish feasibility, and address the management of any high risk aspects of the proposed work.
      Point out any procedures, situations, or materials that may be hazardous to personnel and precautions to be exercised.
3. Resource Information. Facilities and equipment to be used for research project
4. Other support for applicant and sponsor
5. Recombinant DNA, Recombinant DNA Molecules:
   Indication that your project adheres to the current NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules.

Research projects that are submitted as part of a previously accepted proposal must include a paragraph highlighting how this new project is different from the previously approved project. It should also include a progress report on the previously approved project.

Required Documents uploaded separately:

1. Cover letter from the applicant's sponsor: indicates the dental school's and the sponsor's support of the proposed research. The sponsor's letter must indicate that the proposal is primarily the work of the student. Applications arising from the same laboratory should take care to minimize duplications in the respective applications. Faculty advisors are asked to limit research proposals to one student per faculty advisor.
2. Cover letter from the applicant: explains student's motivations and reasons to have the Fellowship experience and what plans are after completion of this phase of their education.
3. Curriculum vitae: (of up to but not exceeding two pages), outlining the student's career up to the time of the application.
4. Sponsor's biographical sketch: (not to exceed two pages) must also be included.
5. Literature Cited must be included.
6. Human Subjects: (IF APPLICABLE) Documentation that your project has been approved by your Institutional Review Board.
7. Vertebrate Animals: (IF APPLICABLE) Documentation that your project has been approved by your Institutional Review Board.

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Presence of a testable hypothesis
• Suitability of methods and facilities
• Significance of problem
• Likelihood of success
• Clarity and style
• Student potential
• Experience of mentor

Proposals that do not meet the criteria will NOT be considered.

Each Fellowship (the number is yet to be determined; 16 were funded in 2021) consists of a stipend of $2,100.

Upon completion of the research (must be completed within two years), acceptance of an abstract and presentation at the annual meeting, each recipient will then be awarded funds ($600) for transportation and accommodation expenses to the meeting. Recipients are required to present their research at the meeting, by submitting abstracts for poster or oral presentations.