McGill’s Faculty of Dentistry Scientific Review Committee is an Ad Hoc Subcommittee of the Research Committee. It was created to provide strategic oversight for all research conducted by researchers affiliated with the Faculty of Dentistry, including research conducted at the Faculty’s Dental Clinic (2001 McGill College Avenue). The Committee’s mandate is to:
- Create a protocol for scientific review and to update it when necessary.
- Ensure the integrity and excellence of the review process.
- Ensure that research protocols follow McGill research policies and regulations, as well as the rules and regulation of the Ordre des Dentistes du Québec (ODQ).
- Serve in an advisory capacity and arrange for the scientific review of faculty’s grant applications and research ethics applications, upon request.
- Ensure that the review provided will be distinct from and will not duplicate the administrative review that McGill’s Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) provides.
In particular, the aims of the Scientific Review Committee are to:
- Conduct initial and continuing reviews of research taking place at the Faculty of Dentistry.
- Evaluate the scientific component of the proposed research (i.e., research justification, design, feasibility), as well as its format (i.e., research protocol, informed consent for adult and minor patients, recruitment materials, etc.), and ensure that they follow recognized guidelines.
- Ensure that risks to participants are minimized and that participants are not exposed to undue risk as a result of research design or data collection methods.
- Ensure that the above mentioned risks to participants, if any, are minimal compared to anticipated benefits.
- Verify processes put in place to ensure patients’ confidentiality and secure data storage meet legal standards and regulations (e.g., the Act respecting health services and social services and the Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information).
- Report these findings and decisions to the researcher and to the Institution.
Types of studies to be submitted to the Scientific Review Committee:
Studies that will undergo scientific review at the Faculty level are:
- Studies that will be conducted by a graduate or postdoctoral student that require IRB approval.
- Feasibility studies or pilot projects for future research.
- New projects that require animal use and have not yet been reviewed.
- Studies that require access to undergraduate clinical databases (such as Abeldent™) or that require access to patient records or the Dental Clinic’s archives.
Most studies that have already undergone full review at a granting agency do not need to be reviewed by the Faculty’s Scientific Review Committee. Projects that have already undergone scientific review and that involve access to the clinic or clinical databases will nevertheless need to submit the Faculty’s internal Scientific Review Form. All researchers who wish to access the clinic or clinical databases will need to request access to the clinic and fill out the required forms.
How to submit your project for scientific review:
IF YOU ARE A FACULTY MEMBER:
Please submit a project proposal to the research2.dentistry [at] mcgill.ca (Research Administrator). We recommend you use the Scientific Review—Faculty form to guide you when writing your project proposal. Please include the names of three possible reviewers for your project. (Visit the Researchers page for a list of Faculty researchers and their areas of expertise. You may also recommend an external reviewer.)
IF YOU ARE A STUDENT OR POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER:
Students should speak to their Advisory Committee (AC). The AC is responsible for completing the required Scientific Review—Student and Postdoctoral Researcher form and submitting it to the research2.dentistry [at] mcgill.ca (Research Administrator).
Postdoctoral fellows should speak to their supervisor. The supervisor is responsible for completing the required Scientific Review—Student and Postdoctoral Researcher form and submitting it to the research2.dentistry [at] mcgill.ca (Research Administrator).
When to submit your proposal to the Scientific Review Committee?
Research proposals must be submitted to the Committee at least five weeks in advance of the IRB submission deadline so that appropriate reviewers can be identified and evaluate the proposed study, and so that applicants have time to revise their proposals, if necessary.
What is the role of the Scientific Review Committee in the scientific review process?
The Scientific Review Committee meets as per the needs of the Faculty’s research community. The Faculty of Dentistry Research Administrator will forward requests to evaluate specific projects to the Committee and the Committee Chair will identify at least two primary reviewers, taking into account their field of expertise and possible conflicts of interests. Reviewers external to the Faculty of Dentistry may be invited to review a research project if the Chair deems it appropriate.