MSc Clinical Dentistry (Paediatric Dentistry)

This interactive online course provides students with an introduction to key material required for the design, execution and interpretation of clinical and clinically related research and the production of a high-quality dissertation.

The course will run over a 10-week period, supplemented with optional timetabled face-to-face sessions which will be used to consolidate the online material and provide the students with an opportunity to discuss the topics in person.

Topics covered include:

• Library skills
• Epidemiology (key concepts and different epidemiological study designs)
• Critical appraisal (appraisal tools and practical application)
• Dissertation skills (time management, academic writing, and reference management)
• Designing a study (protocol development, types of data, basic statistics)
• Ethics, research governance and data protection
• Systematic reviews and meta-analysis
• Evidence based practice (implementing research findings)

The unit aims to produce students who are competent in issues related to the design, execution and interpretation of clinical and clinically related research. The latter may include dentistry, medical education, public health and basic-science areas such as genetics, microbiology or biomaterials; and provide students with critical appraisal skills so that on a life-long basis they will be able to apply these skills to assess any research evidence that comes before them.

The course will be delivered predominantly through e-learning over a period of 10-weeks, with three timetabled face-to-face symposiums. A variety of online material will be utilised including web-based reading, audio presentations, online discussions, tutor feedback, interactive exercises, self-assessment through MCQs and self-reflection. The three optional face-to-face symposiums are a mix of tutor presentations, group work and student group discussions. The symposiums are made available as podcasts.

Students should/will be able to:

• understand basic statistical issues needed for the development of a study protocol
• understand key epidemiological concepts
• understand the structure of, and be able to differentiate between, the common types of epidemiological studies
• identify different types of data
• understand the key issues to consider when critically appraising different study designs
• understand key ethics and research governance documents and legislation, such as the Helsinki Declaration, and legislation such as the UK Data Protection Act
• understand procedures relating to obtaining ethical approval for your research, using the UK NHS Ethics Committee system as an example
• define evidence-based dentistry and recognise the key steps involved in its practice
• recognise the role of secondary research in EBP (including systematic reviews and clinical guidelines)

Students should/will be able to:

• discuss the role of research in a clinical discipline
• explore the development of a research idea from hypothesis through to the drawing of conclusions
• make a judgement on the quality of a research article with consideration of implications for clinical practice/future research
• discuss issues regarding the implementation of research findings

Students should/will be able to:

• identify key bibliographic databases relevant to the area of speciality
• carry out focussed searches to identify research literature relevant to a chosen topic area
• develop and implement a framework for successful project/time management
• have a clear understanding of the key components of academic writing
• be able to use bibliographic software for searching online bibliographic databases, organising references, images and PDFs, and creating bibliographies and figure lists
• critically appraise literature to a high standard

Students should/will be able to:

• manage time; work to deadlines; use initiative when seeking information
• use information technology and appropriate related software to a high standard
• apply skills for identifying, appraising, synthesising and applying evidence, in professional practice
• apply research related skills to professional practice

• Written assignment (mid-term): 35%
• Written assignment (end of term): 60%
• Participation: 5%

Feedback will be provided within the required timeframes.