SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INTEREST AMONG PERUVIAN DENTAL STUDENTS: A CROSSSECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract: Objective: Undertaking scientific research during undergraduate studies in Dentistry is challenging due to the high academic load of clinical courses. However, during the pandemic, undergraduate students from several faculties of Dentistry in Peru took the initiative to establish scientific research societies to enhance their research skills. Nevertheless, the impact of these endeavors on increasing the students' research interest remains unknown. Therefore, this study analyzed the scientific research interest among dental students from a Peruvian public university. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to apply a self-administered online survey among dental students from a Peruvian public university. We included students from the second to the fifth year of study enrolled in the 2022 academic year. The survey collected information on sociodemographic characteristics and students' experiences in research activities. Moreover, interest in scientific research was measured using a Likert scale with 12 items (Cronbach's alpha=0.967), scoring between 12 and 60 points. Descriptive and bivariate statistical analysis was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U-test and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Out of 216 students recruited for this study, 64% (n=139) were females, 67% (n=145) studied in public secondary schools, and the mean age was 23 years (SD=3.61). Additionally, 13% (n=27) strongly agreed on having a research career in the future. The mean scientific research interest score was 49 points (SD=0.56), obtaining statistically significant differences between academic years (p=0.003) and students who were part or not of a scientific society (p=0.030). Conclusions: We found a high scientific research interest among dental students from a Peruvian public university. Differences between academic years may be attributed to the lack of research courses in the first years. Future research must explore the influence of scientific research societies led by undergraduate dental students as a strategy for increasing research interest and improving their research skills, besides assessing the impact on future dentists' careers.