An innovation hub and clinical research center partnering with industry and academia to generate evidence and translate it into practice.
CIT operates across University of the Pacific clinical environments, including San Francisco and Sacramento, with additional reach through a growing national practice-based research network.
Impact at a glance
33 projects across clinical research, product testing and innovation
14 active studies in delivery (in set-up, recruiting-active, or follow-up)
$4M+ current portfolio activity
22 investigators actively engaged across the CIT portfolio
100,000 total patient visits annually across Dugoni School clinics
$100,000 in gifts received
CIT supports:
Clinical studies, pilots, and feasibility work that inform larger trials and grant applications
Industry-sponsored research and product evaluation in real clinical settings
Academic collaborations and translational research programs
Data-driven research infrastructure, including biobanking and clinical assessment pathways
Practice-based research that expands real-world evidence generation across a broader network
589 clinicians trained in Clinical Research and Innovation principles through Pacific-Stanford PRIMED program
From Innovation to Practice
CIT helps partners move from concept to clinically validated evidence and implementation-ready solutions within real dental care settings.
Our innovation-to-practice pathway includes:
Innovation intake and use-case definition (clinical need, target users, success measures)
Evidence strategy and evaluation design (pilot planning, endpoints, workflow impact)
Test planning in real clinical environments (where appropriate)
Operational activation (site readiness, training needs, rollout planning)
Real-world evaluation and performance monitoring (usability feedback, workflow integration insights)
Iteration with partners based on findings (product and process improvement loop)
Translation support for scale-up (implementation roadmap, next-phase evidence planning)
Clinical Research Capabilities
CIT operates as a full-support clinical research unit, providing end-to-end infrastructure for sponsor-funded and federally funded studies, from early concept through closeout and dissemination.
Capabilities include:
Study intake, feasibility, and site readiness assessment (patient access, workflow fit, resources, timelines)
Study design support and evidence planning (pilot through larger studies, endpoints, implementation considerations)
Federal funding application support (NIH and other mechanisms), including proposal development coordination and submission planning
Budget development, scope alignment, and start-up planning
Contracting coordination and partnership onboarding in collaboration with University processes
Regulatory and ethics submission readiness (protocol packet preparation, IRB submission coordination, amendments, continuing review planning)
Recruitment planning and operational study delivery across University clinics and the practice-based research network
Data capture readiness, study documentation support, and reporting aligned to sponsor and academic dissemination needs
Project management, milestone tracking, issue escalation, and study closeout support
CIT coordinates across investigators, clinic operations, and external partners to deliver studies with clear governance, timelines, and accountability.
Examples of current work include:
AI-assisted caries detection and clinician calibration
Oral cancer detection workflows
Periodontal intervention evaluation
Erosive tooth wear and dentin hypersensitivity epidemiology
Salivary and microbiome-focused research programs
Education technology and clinician performance evaluation
Partner with CIT
CIT partners with industry sponsors and academic collaborators to design and deliver pilot studies through full clinical trials and real-world evaluations that generate credible evidence and support translation into practice.
Who we partner with
Industry and sponsors: AI, software, diagnostics, devices, and product teams seeking clinical validation, workflow evaluation, and evidence generation
Academic collaborators: investigators seeking clinical study delivery support, translational research pathways, and multisite or practice-based expansion
What we support (end-to-end)
Pilot studies and feasibility testing through larger clinical studies and full clinical trials
Clinical validation and workflow evaluation of AI, software, devices, and diagnostics
Recruitment support and study operations across University of the Pacific clinics in San Francisco and Sacramento, plus the practice-based research network
Federal funding application support and evidence plans that support dissemination and next-phase funding
Practice-based research and multisite study expansion through a network of trained research clinicians
Our Location:
The Center for Innovation and Translation
University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry
155 Fifth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact the faculty listed below.
