Educational Activities and Capacity Building
Overview: Building Research Capacity in Oral Health
At the Oral Health Research Group (OHR), our commitment extends beyond conducting epidemiological and health economic studies—we are dedicated to empowering the next generation of researchers, healthcare professionals, and students.
Through tailored workshops, specialized training sessions, and continuous professional development, we build research capacity across Latvia and the Baltic region. Our educational initiatives aim to translate complex scientific methodologies into practical skills, engage key health stakeholders, and foster a strong culture of evidence-based practice in dentistry and public health.
Why We Invest in Educational Initiatives
- Building Scientific Capacity: Equipping dental students, clinicians, and health professionals with the tools to conduct rigorous, publishable research
- Fostering Evidence-Based Care: Ensuring current healthcare practitioners can critically evaluate literature and apply findings directly to patient care and policy
- Stakeholder & Community Engagement: Creating collaborative networks between academic researchers, primary care providers (ģimenes ārsti), and public health policymakers
Past Workshop Highlights
Systematic Review Workshop for Beginners
- Target Audience: Health profession students, clinicians, junior researchers, and academic staff looking to begin doing systematic reviews
- Format: Face-to-Face (Interactive Hands-on Sessions)
- Organized in Collaboration with RSU Doctoral School
Workshop Summary
Systematic reviews sit at the peak of the evidence hierarchy, guiding clinical decision-making and health policy globally. However, navigating research protocols, comprehensive database searches, and quality appraisal can be daunting for beginners.
This practical, beginner-level workshop is designed to demystify the systematic review process. Participants will be guided step-by-step through:
- Formulating precise research questions (PICO framework);
- Developing search strategies across medical databases;
- Title/abstract screening and full-text data extraction;
- Assessing risk of bias and understanding basic meta-analytic pooling.
By the end of the course, participants will have a clear, actionable roadmap to initiate and complete their own systematic review project.
