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Despina Koletsi
Biography
Despina Koletsi is Senior Teaching and Research Staff at the Clinic of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, and Research Affiliate at Meta- Research Innovation Center at Stanford University (METRICS). She qualified from the School of Dentistry, University of Athens and received her orthodontic training and MSc from the same University. She earned a Doctorate from the University of Bonn and a second Master’s Degree in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London. She also completed the postgraduate program in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education of the University of London and obtained the University of London Worldwide Recognized Tutor Status. She has been in private orthodontic practice in Athens, Greece, since 2012.
Dr. Koletsi has published more than 120 research and educational papers in international peer- reviewed journals. She has received numerous distinctions and awards including the WJB Houston Research Award (twice) and being listed among the 2% top- cited scientists in the field of Dentistry. Her research has been funded twice by the European Orthodontic Society, while the areas of her expertise expand on clinical orthodontics, oral health, epidemiology, research methodology and meta- epidemiology. Dr. Koletsi currently serves as Associate Editor for the European Journal of Orthodontics and is member of the editorial board of and independent reviewer for over 50 international journals across Biomedicine, including the prestigious British Medical Journal.
Title
Research Methodology in Orthodontics then and now. Is Research still Wasted?
Abstract
Well-conducted and reported research is the keystone to credible science and the backbone of evidence- based clinical decision making. Over the past decade, the scientific community in Orthodontics has been striving to provide empirical evidence on the quality and reporting of the disseminated information in the field, while there has been growing awareness on whether practices followed up to date have been supporting the goal for trustworthy and transparent research findings. The reduction of research waste through the improvement of research practices has been the ultimate goal of these efforts.
Aims and objectives
The aim of this lecture is to provide empirical evidence on methodological problems at several stages of research conduct in Orthodontics, notably bound to the clinical field. These include issues related to the design and conduct of a study, but also to reporting issues regarding the quality, completeness and robustness of the disseminated information and the published report. Moreover, the evolution of the methodological framework of research practices within the specialty will be examined for the past years, including also direct comparisons with other Dentistry subfields and/ or the Biomedical science.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this lecture shall include identification and recognition of threats to the methodological quality and the scientific rigor of Orthodontic research and published work coupled with measurable outcomes of progress achieved so far, understanding of how this intermingles with decision making in the clinical field, acquaintance with transparent scientific practices at all stages of research conduct, and introduction to the concepts of reproducibility and open science.