Clinical and public health research training in oral health for Southeast Asia

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ABSTRACT Oral diseases pose a major health challenge globally and affect people throughout their lifetime. These diseases share common risk factors with other major Chronic Non-communicable Diseases and Disorders (NCDs). The well-established oral-systemic health connections also indicate that prevention and treatment of oral diseases is a critical component in maintaining good general health and well-being. Yet, due to the lack of personnel, access to training, knowledge of research methods, and funding, oral health care and research is still limited in Southeast Asia. The large diversities in the geography, social structure and cultures in Southeast Asian nations emphasize the need for locally relevant research to identify risk factors and oral health management strategies that would be effective in each country. The goal of this application is to sustainably strengthen the oral health research capacity among LMICs in Southeast Asia by establishing a training hub in Thailand and fostering a network of regional researchers. The plan proposes to build upon and expand two established training programs “Clinical, Public Health, and Behavioral Oral Health Research Training for Thailand” (D43TW007768 and D43TW009071, PI: DeRouen), which have been collaborative efforts between the University of Washington School of Dentistry (UW) and affiliated Faculties of Dentistry at Khon Kaen University (KKU) and Thammasat University (TU) in Thailand. Dr. Waranuch Pitiphat, Dean of KKU Faculty of Dentistry, the Director of this Program (PD) was a major collaborator and Associate Director of the previous training programs. The proposed program will also include 4 major collaborating institutions: University of Indonesia, University of Malaya, University of Philippines Manila, and Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Vietnam. Five levels of training are being proposed: (1) Short-term training. A series of 5-day workshops on clinical research methods, conducted in Thailand or other Southeast Asian countries annually (n=120 total); (2) Intermediate-term training. An 8-week program at the UW COHO Institute in Clinical Research Methods in Seattle. The trainees will participate in the program online for 6 weeks and in Seattle for 2 weeks (n=18 total); (3) Medium-term training. A Short Course Training in Research Methodology & Biostatistics offered annually at KKU in Thailand. This is an intensive program in which the trainees will take didactic courses and develop an individual research proposal at the end of the 4-month course (n=20 total). Medium-term trainees can apply for the next level of training; (4) Non-degree research training. A research fellowship program allows the trainees to do research in home country under guidance of a local mentor as well as UW and Thai faculty (n=16 total); (5) Long-term training. The program will support five dentists from Southeast Asia to pursue PhD in Oral Sciences at the two Thai universities. After completing 1-year coursework in Thailand, PhD students will attend the Summer Institute in Seattle and work with UW mentors to develop a dissertation research proposal to be carried out in their home country.