This application proposes to build upon and expand an established training program which is a collaborative effort between the University of Washington School of Dentistry and affiliated Faculties of Dentistry at Khon Kaen University and Thammasat University in Thailand. It was established on the basis of previous collaborations between UW and Thai faculty that continue to this day. It proposes to continue offerings in short-term, medium-term, and long-term training programs in clinical, public health, and behavioral oral health research training for Thai faculty from collaborating institutions, while expanding to include faculty from other dental schools in Thailand as well as dental schools in the Greater Mekong Basin countries (Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam) thereby making the collaborating Thai dental schools resources for other dental schools in South East Asia. The training programs proposed include short-term one week workshops on clinical research methods held in Thailand and neighboring South East Asia countries, medium term 2- month training programs which involve attendance at the Summer Institute in Clinical Dental Research Methods in Seattle, and long-term training programs which include a year working in Seattle on existing research projects, taking advanced coursework, and planning a dissertation research project, followed by a year conducting the research project in Thailand. The program is designed to attract students to and enhance the Ph.D. in Oral Science offered at Khon Kaen and Thammasat Universities in Thailand by offering access to additional clinical, public health, and behavioral oral health research methodology and research experience to Thai Ph.D. students at UW, especially for students who are in Ph.D. pathways that emphasize clinical, public health, and/or behavioral research. Director of the program is Dr. Timothy A. DeRouen, Professor and Executive Associate Dean for Research and Academic Affairs in the School of Dentistry at UW;Associate Director is Dr. Waranuch Pitiphat, Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Studies, and International Programs in the Faculty of Dentistry at Khon Kaen University. Chair of the Program Advisory Committee is Dr. Prathip Phantumvanit, former Dean of Dentistry at both Thammasat and Khon Kaen Universities. Upon completion of the proposed 5-year funding, approximately 75-90 dentists and graduate students from Thailand and other South East Asian countries will have participated in workshops, 34 will have participated in the UW Summer Institute in Clinical Dental Research Methods, and 6 will have completed Ph.D.'s at the Thai institutions with enhanced long-term training through the University of Washington.
This proposal is to provide training in clinical, public health, and behavioral aspects of oral health research in Thailand, so it is directly relevant to the public health of the Thai population. RITIQUE 1: Training Program and Environment: 3 Training Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI): 1 Preceptors/Mentors: 2 Trainees: 4 Training Record: 4 Overall Impact: This proposal seeks to strengthen the oral health research capacity in Thailand. It is responsive to this funding opportunity because the most prevalent oral diseases (caries and periodontal disease) can be managed under a medical model of prevention and risk-based care, typical of chronic disease management. They share common risk factors with systemic chronic disease and have an impact on systemic health. The implementation of this training program, a collaboration between the University of Washington, Khon Kaen University and Thammasat University is likely to have a significant impact on research capacity because 1) a history of research activity and training in oral health exists at these LMIC schools;2) there are exceptional faculty and mentorship associated with the program with demonstrated success in oral health research training, 3) the program provides didactic training in the US but requires field and dissertation work to be accomplished in Thailand;4) the trained faculty at these 2 Thai schools will serve as resources for other six Thai dental schools. The program expects to train 34 participants in the 2-month workshop, enroll 6 long-term PhD trainees and train another 50 participants in 1-week in-country workshops. 1. Training Program and Environment: Strengths * The oral health research training program at UW is exceptional, with an established record of successful training programs. * 3 levels of training creates a self-sustaining pipeline of faculty to move from the shortest training (1-week in-country workshops), to medium term training (2-month intensive didactic in the US) to PhD degree in-country training. * Builds on existing PhD programs in Oral Science in LMIC schools * Program coursework established with sufficient teaching faculty not dependent on this funding. * Established collaborations among the participating institutions. Weaknesses * One year for field work for dissertation project in Thailand may not be sufficient to carry out the project. * Multi-disciplinary training limited to interactions at US workshops through interactions with other US trainees. * No evidence of opportunities for interdisciplinary training in LMIC schools. 2. Training Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI): Strengths * Established and extensive record of successful oral health training Weaknesses * None 3. Preceptors/Mentors: Strengths * Three strong leaders at the LMIC schools with research backgrounds Weaknesses * No clear description or evidence for depth of current faculty mentors at the Thai schools. * On-site mentorship will fall to a very small existing group - will that be sufficient for day-to-day training. * Local implementation of the dissertation project could be challenging and require support. 4. Trainees: Strengths * Will recruit dentists in diverse PhD programs, including basic, clinical, behavioral, and public health sciences;current pool is 16-20 PhD students from which to enroll 1-2 students per year for 4 years * Long-term trainees will need to have completed the equivalent of MS degree before starting PhD training Weaknesses * Vague description and no criteria for trainee selection. * Lead collaborators will serve as the selection committee 5. Training Record: Strengths * US training record is outstanding * 66 previous participants in 1-week workshops in Thailand documents existing relationships * 12 Thai faculty participated in previous Summer Training workshops at UW;9 reported subsequent publications and evidence of funding, mostly institutional Weaknesses * One past trainee - only one abstract reported * 3 current trainees;2 publications, one trainee has received internal funding Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity: Acceptable * Plan is acceptable Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research: Acceptable Comments on Format: * Lectures with case studies differs by training level Comments on Subject Matter: * Ethical issues in research with an emphasis on international studies Comments on Faculty Participation: * Various faculty which include the Education coordinator in office of human subjects and the retired director of the office of human subjects. These are acceptable. Comments on Duration: * Long term trainees participate in 2-month weekly Research Integrity series;2 month trainees receive 2-hr lecture and discussion;in the 1-week workshops, there are 5 one-hour lectures. Comments on Frequency: * See above; 2-month trainees may need an additional session Budget and Period of Support: Recommend as Requested
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