Research Grant Program

IFDH Research Grant Program

The purpose of this program is to promote experience in the research process and dissemination of findings contributing to the dental hygiene body of knowledge.

This grant program will provide small grants for students enrolled in dental hygiene graduate programs conducting thesis research. Students will submit a mini-proposal for consideration. Small grants will be provided (maximum up to $2000) and projects may not be fully funded. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all funds are granted.

Process:

Graduate students are to prepare and submit a proposal to include the following content:

  • Brief introduction to study topic
  • Purpose of study
  • Research questions/hypotheses
  • Significance of study
  • Methods
  • Budget
  • References

The proposal including introduction to methods section should be no more than 5 pages.

DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME ON THE PROPOSAL, FOR ANONYMITY IN JUDGING.

Criteria for Evaluation:

  • Is the purpose clearly stated?
  • Is the purpose relevant?
  • Will the study add to the dental hygiene body of knowledge?
  • Is the research design appropriate to answer the research questions/test the hypotheses?
  • Is the budget feasible?
Application Form

Send Your Application & Proposal via:

MAIL: International Federation of Dental Hygienists
100 South Washington Street, Rockville MD 20850, USA

Email: Coordinator@IFDH.org
Subject: IFDH Research Grant Application

Deadline for Submission: December 15.

2021 Awardees:

Karen Lansdown

The University of Sydney School of Dentistry Australia
Oral health literacy and quality of life to determine oral health outcomes amongst people with cerebral palsy (CP) and/or their caregivers in Australia.

Oral health related conditions are particularly important for people with cerebral palsy (CP). The first project in this body of research mapped the existing literature to identify the reported oral health conditions experienced by people with CP worldwide. The current project will investigate the oral health related quality of life for people of all ages with CP in Australia. Future projects will examine the enablers and barriers to dental services access, explore the perspectives of dental professionals who provide care for people with CP, provide clinical recommendations to improve the oral health for people with CP and identify priorities for future research.

Lars S. J. Toonen

University of Utrecht The Netherlands
The effect of chlorhexidine mouthwash on blood pressure. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Chlorhexidine-mouthwash is currently the gold-standard antimicrobial agent in plaque control. It is suggested that chlorhexidine affects the composition of the oral flora and might influence nitrite related regulation of blood pressure. If this is the case, an increase in blood pressure may be one of the side-effects. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to summarize the available scientific literature to investigate whether the use of chlorhexidine-mouthwash affects human blood pressure. It answers a daily clinical question that is of importance of both dental care professional and patients. Till so far, the effect of chlorhexidine-mouthwash on blood pressure is uncertain.

Bregje van Swaaij

Academic Centre of Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) The Netherlands
Fluoride, pH value and buffer capacity of commercially available mouthwashes: an in vitro study

For Dental Care Professionals it is important to be aware of the active ingredients and clinically relevant (side) effects of mouthwashes. To date, results published on fluoride, pH value, and buffer capacity have been incomplete, inconclusive and uncertain of source and publication year. The aim of this in vitro experimental study is to generate a comprehensive overview of commercially available mouthwashes in the Netherlands, by assessing total soluble fluoride, pH value, and buffer capacity. Total soluble fluoride will be analyzed using an Ion-Selective Electrode, pH and buffer capacity by digital pH meter with combined glass electrodes.

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