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| Year : 2009 | Volume
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| Issue : 4 | Page : 519 |
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| Dental research: Some bitter aspects..... |
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Jaysankar Pillai
Department of Oral Pathology, Govt. Dental College and Hospital, Ahmadabad - 380 016, India
Click here for correspondence address and email
| Date of Web Publication | 29-Jan-2010 |
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How to cite this article:
Pillai J. Dental research: Some bitter aspects..... Indian J Dent Res 2009;20:519 |
Sir,
Research is integrated in our Dental profession only as a part of Post Graduate Curriculum. This spirit seems to evaporate after thesis submission. "What are the other platforms from where the research skill should be re-launched?" is a million dollar question for enthusiastic young scholars.
Quite strangely, research is one aspect of Dentistry which gathers more disparagement not only from the 'pure clinical' personals, but also from a few academicians. It is not uncommon to feel the big gap between the clinical and research approach in our profession. Most of the research data gathered nowadays are from research conducted in any Research and Development Institute or from some really research encouraging Dental Teaching Institutes. Very rarely, we come across research data from pure clinical oriented professional colleagues. The main reason for the antipathy towards research among our clinicians is the lack of time.
In teaching institutes, some strange scenarios exist when it comes to research. Very few students are encouraged for research projects during their UG days. It is quite regrettable and even pathetic to see even some junior staff members in some institutes slog day and night and use their own 'Gray Matter' to frame their original research proposals and remain co-investigators or sometimes are removed from the project, whereas the 'boss' who doesn't know the 'head and tail' of the proposal or 'ABC' of Dental Research becomes the Principal Investigator by default or force. It is pitiable to see that only the post matters; not the knowledge or effort. This scenario should change. The criticizms against young talented teaching professionals and their exploitation by seniors seldom spoil the scholastic spirit and research skills. This can ultimately reflect on the growth scenario of the profession in our country.
The PG students, apart from their regular, time-bound thesis work are also beleaguered by their Guides in some "extra assignment". Sometimes the poor P.G. students work more for their boss's PhD thesis than for their own career-oriented MDS thesis. One thing is clear - that every thesis work done by the PG student (MDS) is a research and they should aim to publish it in an indexed journal with good impact factor, with their own name as the first author. But how many of them are encouraged by their PG guide to do so. Only a meager, when we consider the number of MDS graduates passing out.
Still, our country also has many dignified and well-mannered PG teachers who morally support their students in all aspect without expecting any credit. The others need to follow them.
Correspondence Address:
Jaysankar Pillai
Department of Oral Pathology, Govt. Dental College and Hospital, Ahmadabad - 380 016
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0970-9290.59436
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