Collaborative Relationships in Dental Materials Research: Measuring the Volume and Outcomes

Data from a survey of dental materials researchers were used to assess collaborative relation ships involving researchers and resources from government, industry, and academia. The examination of research project organization yielded a higher estimate of collaboration (and industry collaboration in particular) than data on the most common research outcome, publi cations. The vast majority of the research outcomes reported by the survey respondents were publications. Only a small number of patents, products or processes were noted; however, these commercially oriented outcomes were far more likely than the publications to have involved collaborative research relationships with industry.