A mini-research program for dental students

A mini-research program to familiarize dental students with scientific research methods is described. Students who have not been exposed to laboratory or clinical research and who are not familiar with the use of the library and other research resources participate. The gross anatomy laboratory is the setting for the data-gathering stage, although most basic science departments could conduct a similar program. The assigned topics are of a morphologic, observational, and descriptive, rather than experimental, nature. The best reports are selected for presentation at a brief scientific session patterned after meetings of the International Association for Dental Research.