Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Clinical Research in Oral Surgery and Implantology
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish
Teaching staff
Online: jordicase@uic.es
Introduction
The Clinical Research office aims to provide students with the necessary practises to understand, develop, develop and evaluate clinical research studies, especially in the ambit of dentistry, implantology and oral and maxillofacial surgery. The matter addresses the methodological, statistic and ethical principles that govern clinical research, as well as the normative requirements and the good practises that can be followed to guarantee the quality, validity and reproducibility of the scientific results. Special attention is paid to the design of the different types of clinical studies, the selection of evaluation criteria, the standardisation of the evaluation procedures and the analysis of the results. They also introduced an advance for the realisation of systematic reviews of literature and metaanalysis. With the critical analysis of scientific publications and the study of research protocols applied to specific clinical situations, students will develop the necessary skills to interpret scientific evidence and apply it in a critical, rigourous and ethical way to clinical practice.
Pre-course requirements
Have passed all the subjects in the previous years of the degree.
Objectives
The overall objective of the course is to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to understand and apply the fundamental and advanced principles of clinical research, with particular emphasis on oral and maxillofacial surgery and implantology.
Specific Objectives- Understand the methodological foundations of clinical research and the main types of study designs.
- Identify and interpret different levels of scientific evidence and critically assess the methodological quality of scientific publications.
- Understand the ethical, regulatory, and legal principles governing clinical research, including Good Clinical Practice (GCP).
- Acquire the knowledge necessary to develop clinically relevant, methodologically rigorous, and ethically appropriate research protocols.
- Identify and select appropriate clinical, radiological, histological, biological, and aesthetic outcome measures for each study.
- Understand the importance of procedure standardization and examiner calibration.
- Interpret the statistical methods used in clinical studies and understand their results.
- Become familiar with the tools and procedures required to prepare, conduct, manage, and analyze clinical studies.
- Develop the skills needed to conduct systematic literature reviews and understand the principles of meta-analysis.
- Improve critical appraisal, synthesis, and scientific results presentation skills.
- Promote evidence-based clinical practice grounded in scientific evidence, professional responsibility, and respect for the rights of research participants.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN01 - Relate advanced and specialized concepts in oral surgery, implantology and oral rehabilitation.
- CP04 - Generate work synergies with professionals from other areas and disciplines by designing joint strategies for action in oral surgery and implantology patients.
- CP06 - Critically evaluate research and current advances in oral surgery and implantology, by evaluating methodologies and, if appropriate, proposing new approaches/hypotheses.
- HB09 - Write and publish a scientific article in an indexed journal in your field of knowledge.
- HB11 - Prepare communications and posters at different national and international conferences related to oral surgery and implantology.
Learning outcomes of the subject
- - Oral Surgery and Implantology - LEARNING OUTCOMES: 1. Perform advanced dissection techniques 2. Make a correct diagnosis of oral medical-surgical pathology and implantology 3. Diagnose oral cavity lesions and the appropriate diagnostic protocols 4. Identify the surgical techniques to place dental implants in different indications 5. Perform dental extractions with different degrees of complexity. 6. Plan surgery, implantology and prosthesis digitally 7. Perform different reconstructive/regenerative techniques in the oral cavity, both hard and soft tissues. 8. Present clinical cases and treatment plans in public and their argued defense
- - Master's thesis - LEARNING OUTCOMES: 1. Describe the different phases of the research process. 2. Access the documentary sources identified in the bibliographic search, downloading the complete documents for evaluation. 3. Write a scientific summary for the preliminary presentation of results at conferences and conferences, as well as prepare an oral communication and/or poster. 3. Design a research protocol based on the scientific method. 4. Conduct clinical or laboratory research, applying new techniques learned and managing time and resources. 5. Adequately write the introduction, justification, objectives, hypotheses, state of the art, materials and methods, results, discussion and conclusions of your master's thesis. 6. Identify the different types of scientific articles, their structure and characteristics and their publication standards. 7. Critically evaluate the scientific literature found
Syllabus
- Fundamentals of clinical research.
- Types of studies and study designs.
- Hierarchy of scientific evidence.
- Ethical principles and Good Clinical Practice (GCP).
- European and Spanish regulations governing clinical studies.
- Ethics in clinical research.
- Development of a research protocol.
- Study leadership, management, and administration.
- Authorship, scientific integrity, and publication of results.
- Outcome measures in clinical studies in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
- Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) in implantology and oral surgery.
- Standardization of procedures and examiner calibration.
- Principles of statistical analysis in clinical studies.
- Analytical and assessment methods:
- Histology.
- Imaging technologies.
- Biomarkers and molecular biology techniques.
- Non-invasive methods for assessing osseointegration, including resonance frequency analysis (RFA).
- Volumetric measurements.
- Assessment of aesthetic outcomes.
- Alveolar ridge preservation.
- Horizontal bone regeneration.
- Vertical bone regeneration.
- Maxillary sinus floor elevation.
- Orthognathic surgery.
- Osseointegration of implants in human models.
- Treatment of peri-implantitis.
- Soft tissue regeneration.
- Search and selection of scientific literature.
- Critical appraisal of scientific articles.
- Conducting systematic reviews.
- Methodological principles of meta-analysis.
- Interpretation and presentation of scientific results.
Note: Block 4 expands on the topics of systematic reviews and meta-analysis introduced in the course description.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The course will be delivered in a face-to-face format through compulsory theoretical sessions, critical appraisal of scientific publications, discussion of clinical cases and protocols, oral presentations, and independent learning activities.
The teaching methodology will combine the presentation of fundamental concepts by the teaching staff with active student participation, with the aim of fostering scientific reasoning, critical appraisal skills, and the practical application of the knowledge acquired.
The main learning activities will include:
- Theoretical sessions: presentation of the methodological, statistical, and ethical foundations of clinical research.
- Critical appraisal of scientific articles: reading, interpretation, and discussion of relevant publications in implantology and oral and maxillofacial surgery.
- Discussion of research protocols: analysis of study design, objectives, variables, outcome measures, and ethical considerations.
- Oral presentations: presentation and discussion of scientific papers to develop communication and synthesis skills.
- Practical case studies: application of methodological knowledge to different clinical scenarios and research questions.
- Independent study: preparation of assigned readings, literature reviews, study of course content, and preparation of presentations.
- Participation in sessions: scientific debate, exchange of ideas, and justification of methodological decisions.
The distribution of activities will be specified according to the teaching plan and the credits allocated to each activity.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Course Assessment
Assessment will be continuous and will take into account students’ active participation, the quality of submitted work, their ability to critically appraise scientific publications, their ability to synthesize information, and their acquisition of theoretical knowledge.
Continuous AssessmentContinuous assessment will be based on the following criteria:
- Scientific quality, structure, and clarity of oral presentations.
- Ability to understand, interpret, and critically appraise scientific articles.
- Ability to synthesize information and identify the main findings of publications.
- Active participation in sessions, debates, and scientific discussions.
- Ability to construct arguments and justify methodological decisions.
The minimum compulsory attendance requirement will be 80% of classes.
ExaminationA written examination will be held each semester, covering the theoretical content of the research papers and scientific publications discussed during the course.
The examination will consist of 10 short-answer questions.
The minimum passing grade for the examination will be 7 out of 10.
Students who fail the examination may take a resit examination after 15 days. During this period, students will not be allowed to participate in surgical activities until they have passed the examination, in accordance with the academic and clinical requirements established for the course.
General Assessment Criteria20% of the final grade will be based on the publication of an article in an indexed journal before the end of the course.
To pass the course, students must demonstrate:
- Knowledge of the fundamental principles of clinical research.
- Understanding of study designs and applicable methodological principles.
- Ability to critically appraise and interpret scientific literature.
- Knowledge of the ethical and regulatory requirements governing research.
- Ability to communicate and defend scientific arguments rigorously.
- Compliance with attendance requirements and the established assessment conditions.
The percentages assigned to each assessment activity, as well as the specific requirements for the final grade, must be defined in accordance with the institution’s academic regulations and the official teaching plan.
Bibliography and resources
● Osteology Guidelines for Oral and Maxillofacial Regeneration: Clinical Research. Giannobile et al. Quintessence Publishing, 2014.
● 30 Years of guided bone regeneration in implant dentistry. Daniel Buser. Quintessence books, 2022.