7 Dental Research Opportunities for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Apr 15
- 5 min read
Updated: 10 hours ago
For high school students curious about the intersection of science, medicine, and healthcare, dental research offers a rewarding entry point. The programs on this list blend academic rigor and real-world application, giving you early exposure to college-level research and clinical settings. Unlike many pre-college experiences, several of the dental research programs in the list below are either fully funded or come at minimal cost.
You can gain skills in biology, anatomy, and data analysis while building connections with faculty, researchers, and peers in the field. For students considering dentistry, public health, or biomedical sciences, these programs offer a chance to test their interests in a structured environment. Participating in a research program shows college admissions officers your commitment to dentistry and your ability to handle advanced academic work.
In this post, we’ve shortlisted 7 of the best dental research opportunities for high schoolers. Each is hosted by a well-regarded institution, offers strong mentorship, and/or has a highly selective admissions process.
1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program—Dentistry track
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: Stanford, California
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; however, you’re responsible for travel, housing, and meals. No stipend is provided.
Dates: June 23 – August 8
Application Deadline: Typically closes in November each year
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 and older
Through the Stanford STaRS (Science, Technology, and Reconstructive Surgery) program, you’ll spend seven weeks conducting lab research under the guidance of a clinician-scientist mentor. You can focus on areas that align with your interests—several mentors have expertise in dental research, including orthodontics and craniofacial reconstruction. As part of a small cohort of about 20 high school students, you’ll gain experience in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific communication. Expect to engage with scientific literature, attend faculty-led lectures, and learn lab safety protocols. The program ends with a final presentation, allowing you to share your work and receive feedback from faculty and peers. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students.
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, students learn how AI is used in the healthcare and medical industry. Students get a chance to work on real-world projects using AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to aid doctors and patients. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
Location: UConn (Mansfield) or Central Connecticut State University (New Britain), Connecticut
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; stipend provided (amount not specified)
Dates: June 16 – July 18
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Connecticut high school juniors from underrepresented backgrounds with a ‘B’ average or higher; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
This five-week summer program places you in a basic science or clinical research lab, where you'll participate in medicine, dental medicine, or biomedical research. Under the mentorship of UConn researchers and faculty, you’ll learn to frame research questions, design experiments, interpret data, and present your findings to a professional audience. Whether exploring cellular biology, oral health, or clinical procedures, you’ll contribute to active research while building core lab skills. You’ll also attend lectures, workshops, and community-building events alongside a small cohort of peers. With just 5–6 students accepted annually, the program offers close mentorship.
Location: College Station, Texas
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; stipend provided to cover food, travel, and other costs
Dates: July 14 – July 18
Application Deadline: May 9
Eligibility: Dallas-area high school sophomores and juniors with a minimum 2.75 GPA; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Texas A&M’s SPEP gives you a one-week introduction to academic and hands-on experiences in dentistry. You'll participate in lab projects using dental materials, attend lectures on preclinical dentistry, and present on a dental topic to peers and mentors. The curriculum includes a cultural competency seminar to help broaden your understanding of patient care in diverse communities. Throughout the week, you’ll work with faculty and dental students, gaining exposure to the tools, terminology, and collaborative environment of dental education. The program supplies all lab and instructional materials, and a stipend helps cover logistical expenses.
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Cost/Stipend: $2,800 (includes scrubs, materials, snacks, and lunch; housing and travel not included)
Dates: One-week session in June
Application Deadline: Not currently listed
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12
In Harvard’s MEDscience@HMS Dental program, you’ll spend a week building foundational skills in oral healthcare through simulations and clinical-style training. You’ll work in Harvard Medical School’s advanced simulation lab, where you’ll learn how to evaluate and manage dental conditions alongside dental students, physicians, and practicing dentists. Expect instruction in suturing, IV placement, tooth carving, impression-taking, and digital scanning—giving you a feel for real dental procedures. You’ll also attend seminars on oral health, engage in small-group workshops, and explore pathways into dental careers through professional development sessions. This program is designed for students curious about the clinical side of dentistry.
Location: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; housing is not covered. A stipend is provided (amount not specified).
Dates: Minimum 8 weeks between June and August
Application Deadline: Not currently listed
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students aged 16 or older
In this summer internship, you’ll join ongoing investigations in oral microbiomes, dental biomaterials, tissue engineering, orthodontics, or public health. Over eight weeks, you'll work with faculty mentors in university labs, learning core research techniques while contributing to a project. From developing hypotheses to analyzing data, you’ll see how dental and craniofacial research occurs. You’ll gain access to specialized equipment, and at the end of the program, you’ll present your findings to faculty and peers in a formal setting. This is a solid opportunity to explore dental science in depth, especially if you’re curious about research careers or advanced studies in health and science.
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Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.