On August 20, University of the Pacific students at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry took the “Dentist-Scientist Oath,” which is being hailed as “possibly the first research-specific oath ceremony ever held at a dental school in the world,” according to faculty organizers.
The oath ceremony involved students from the Doctor of Dental Surgery Class of 2026 and the International Dental Studies Class of 2025.
Dr. David Lam, the creator of the oath, noted, “The Dentist-Scientist Oath was inspired by my mentor, Dr. Karen Davis, a world-renowned neuroscientist at the University of Toronto, who developed a similar oath for scientists. This oath underscores the importance of community, professionalism, and ethical conduct in research.”
Dr. Lam further explained, “We have embraced Dr. Davis’ original declarations of pride, integrity, and pursuit of knowledge, and have expanded upon them to emphasize the importance of inclusion in research, ensuring that knowledge produced is applicable to all people.”
The students recently completed the Pacific-Stanford PRIMED Fundamentals of Clinical Research program, a year-long initiative offered by the Dugoni School in partnership with Stanford University faculty. This mandatory program included 20 hours of instruction on best practices in high-quality clinical research. The students will receive a certificate of completion from Stanford at the end of August in recognition of their training.
Tyler West, a member of the DDS Class of 2026, remarked, “The dentist-scientist oath ceremony was a profound reminder of the responsibility we carry as both clinicians and researchers.”
