{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,26]],"date-time":"2026-06-26T16:48:06Z","timestamp":1782492486721,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]],"date-time":"2026-01-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767312000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":1,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,20]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Dental research enhances students\u2019 understanding of evidence-based dentistry and improves clinical decision-making. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of students and staff regarding mandatory undergraduate dental research projects and identify the related challenges and facilitators.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Design<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A qualitative study using focus group discussions and semi-structured individual interviews. Data were analysed using a framework approach and reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Setting<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Participants<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Students and staff who were involved in undergraduate dental research projects. Seven sessions were held (three focus groups and four interviews). Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained from all participants.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Three key themes were identified: (1) attitudes towards the necessity and value of the research project; (2) barriers, including financial constraints, topic selection, mentorship issues, administrative and laboratory challenges, lack of motivation and time pressure; and (3) facilitators such as effective communication, revising course arrangements and improved financial support. Students and staff expressed differing views on the necessity, relevance and perceived benefits of the project.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>While both groups recognised the educational value of research engagement, the mandatory format, limited mentorship and resource constraints negatively affected motivation and project quality. Introducing flexible, interest-based or collaborative research formats and revising course timing may enhance engagement and learning outcomes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-095116","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,4]],"date-time":"2026-01-04T08:15:15Z","timestamp":1767514515000},"page":"e095116","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Stakeholders\u2019 perceptions and experiences towards dental research training programmes and projects in undergraduate education in Tehran, Iran: a qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Simin","family":"Mohebbi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Centre for Caries Prevention, Dental Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran"},{"name":"Department of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5206-8611","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samaneh","family":"Razeghi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Centre for Caries Prevention, Dental Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran"},{"name":"Department of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shabnam","family":"Nemati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Minou","family":"Najar Nobari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104384","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amsu.2022.104384","article-title":"Undergraduate students\u2019 involvement in research: Values, benefits, barriers and recommendations","volume":"81","author":"Adebisi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Annals of Medicine & Surgery"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.5959\/eimj.v4i1.7","article-title":"Knowledge, attitudes and barriers related to participation of medical students in research in three Arab Universities","volume":"4","author":"Amin","year":"2012","journal-title":"EIMJ"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0295567","article-title":"Understanding challenges to medical and dental student research practices. An insight from a cross-sectional study of the public sector in Pakistan","volume":"18","author":"Qamar","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103280","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amsu.2022.103280","article-title":"Undergraduate research in medicine: A summary of the evidence on problems, solutions and outcomes","volume":"74","author":"Mass-Hern\u00e1ndez","year":"2022","journal-title":"Annals of Medicine & Surgery"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-022-03628-9","article-title":"The picture of undergraduate dental basic research education: a scoping review","volume":"22","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Med Educ"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104502","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amsu.2022.104502","article-title":"The inclination of undergraduate students at King Edward Medical University towards research and its perceived barriers and facilitators; a cross-sectional study","volume":"81","author":"Fida","year":"2022","journal-title":"Annals of Medicine & Surgery"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1306","DOI":"10.1002\/j.0022-0337.2009.73.11.tb04822.x","article-title":"Final-year South African dental student attitudes toward a research component in the curriculum","volume":"73","author":"Grossman","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Dent Educ"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1111\/eje.12119","article-title":"Dental undergraduate students\u2019 participation in research in China: current state and directions","volume":"19","author":"Ping","year":"2015","journal-title":"Eur J Dent Educ"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-023-04884-z","article-title":"Medical students\u2019 perceptions, experiences, and barriers towards research implementation at the faculty of medicine, Tanta university","volume":"23","author":"Orebi","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Med Educ"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"427","DOI":"10.1002\/jdd.12568","article-title":"Dentists of tomorrow 2020: An analysis of the results of the 2020 ADEA Survey of U.S. Dental School Seniors","volume":"85","author":"Istrate","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Dent Educ"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/intqhc\/mzm042"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1071\/NB09018","article-title":"Doing good qualitative research in public health: not as easy as it looks","volume":"20","author":"Carter","year":"2009","journal-title":"N S W Public Health Bull"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732305276687"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1364","DOI":"10.1002\/j.0022-0337.2014.78.10.tb05809.x","article-title":"Impact of a research requirement in a dental school curriculum","volume":"78","author":"Nalliah","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Dent Educ"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1111\/eje.12022","article-title":"Undergraduate degree projects in the Swedish dental schools: a documentary analysis","volume":"17","author":"Franz\u00e9n","year":"2013","journal-title":"Eur J Dental Education"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.16","first-page":"108","article-title":"Structure of medical dissertations in Golestan University of Medical Sciences (1996 to 2005)","volume":"4","author":"Borghei","year":"2008","journal-title":"Strides Dev Med Educ"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.17","first-page":"17","article-title":"Needing to\" Research Methodology\" as a course or workshop at University of Medical Sciences","volume":"3","author":"Jafari","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Med Hypotheses Ideas"},{"key":"2026062609050510000_16.1.e095116.18","unstructured":"Rad Afshar G , Sobhani A , Sadegh F . 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