Scientific production and perception of research by students of dentistry

The aim of this study is to determine the scientific production and perception of research in university students. Materials and methods: A descriptive, retrospective study was designed and included 144 undergraduate students of the Faculty of Dentistry, National University of San Marcos (Lima. Peru). A structured questionnaire was administered, with items such as academic/scientific production and the self-perception they have on knowledge of research methodology, article writing, and information searches. Results: The mean age of the students was 21.1 ± 2.3 years, with only 5 (3.47%) students reported having published and/or contributed to at least one scientific article. More than three-quarters (77.1%) considered scientific production important as a means to increase scientific knowledge. Less than half (47.2%) considered that they had average knowledge about writing scientific articles, and 55.6% had the same perception about academic/scientific search information. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the scientific production of students is very low, and most of them perceived they have average knowledge of research methodology, scientific writing, and information search skills.