Research and education grant guidelines

The primary role of the Dental Council of New South Wales (the Council) is to protect the public by managing complaints about conduct, performance and health matters concerning registered dental practitioners practising in NSW and health and conduct matters related to registered students training in NSW. Under section 41S of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) the Council may establish an Education and Research Account to provide funding for research and education purposes relating to the health, performance and conduct of registered dental practitioners and students.

The Council’s Education and Research Program provides Grants to applicants to undertake approved research/education projects. The Council accepts applications for research/education projects initiated by applicants and may commission specific research to address a priority operational or strategic need. It may also commission joint research with other Councils, academic institutions or regulatory bodies, such as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) or the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC).

The Program also aims to encourage practitioners and students to undertake education and research activities for their professional development. These Guidelines provide information for Grant applicants on the requirements and process applicable to research/education funding and should be read prior to submitting an application.

Grants are available to applicants who are registered dental practitioners (all divisions), and whose principal place of practice is in NSW, or registered students (all divisions) training in NSW. Grants may be awarded to individuals, groups or institutions. Where an application is from a group, the Chief Investigator must be registered with a principal place of practice in NSW. Co investigators do not need to meet these criteria and may be unregistered health practitioners, including from professions other than dentistry/oral health. Individual chief investigators cannot hold more than one Council Grant at any one time. The research/education project should be conducted in NSW and must be of benefit to practitioners/students in NSW.

Grants are funded up to a maximum of $20,000 per application, with a maximum of two (2) years duration. Smaller Grants of shorter duration are encouraged. 

The Council may at times commission or tender for specific research, with a maximum funding amount to be determined by the Council. 

Funding is provided and administered in accordance with the Funding Agreement. The grantee is responsible for the financial administration of the Grant.

The application must include an itemised budget and a clear justification of the total amount sought. Funding may only be expended for the purposes provided for in the Grant application and the Funding Agreement.

 Examples of budget items the Council may fund include (but are not limited to): 

• Salaries for casual/contracted staff for the specified timeframe of the study. e.g. research assistance, statistical support or teaching relief for the Chief Investigator(s)
• Costs associated with open access publishing
• Conference registration

The Council will not fund the payment of salaries for permanent employees, the purchase of capital equipment, travel and/or accommodation expenses associated with conference attendance, or indirect administration costs.

The Council aims to improve health practitioner regulation by investing in research/education to:

• Create new knowledge through research/education.
• Accelerate research translation by sharing research activities and publishing findings.

Examples of the types of projects the Council may support include:

• Identification of areas of need in the Council’s regulatory programs. For example, enhancements to educational programs that lead to registration, identification of risk factors associated with complaints, or the assessment of outcomes relating to health, performance or conduct pathways. 
• Development and evaluation of Continuing Professional Development courses or training that will support the Council’s regulatory activities. For example, courses or training on topics such as professional ethics or regulatory processes. 
• Preparation, coordination and conduct of conferences to convey outcomes of research relevant to the Council’s regulatory work.

The Council expects the highest levels of research conduct and integrity to be observed in the research it funds. Grantees are bound by the conditions of the Funding Agreement.

9.1. Application Open and Closing Dates 

Applications for funding open on 1 February and close on 1 May. Applicants are responsible to ensure they are aware of all relevant dates. Late applications will not be considered. Once submitted the application is considered final and no changes may be made, unless withdrawn and resubmitted prior to the closing date. Expressions of interest may, from time-to-time, be advertised for specific projects outside of the annual grant round. 

9.2. Lodgement Method

 Applications should be emailed to HPCA-DentalCouncil@health.nsw.gov.au or posted to:

The Executive Officer

Dental Council of NSW 

Locked Mail Bag 20

HAYMARKET 

NSW 1238 

9.3. Content and Format Requirements for Research/Education Grants

Applicants must complete and submit the following information:

(a) All parts of the application form available on the Council website.

(b) A written Grant proposal comprising:

1. Applicant name/s, contact details, Ahpra registration number/s (if applicable).
2. Descriptive title of the project.
3. Description of the project aims, significance, background, methods, expected outcomes and benefits.
4. Description of how the project relates to the health, performance and conduct of practitioners and/or the Council’s regulatory programs. 
5. Budget and a rationale for the budget items. Justify how each budget item is necessary for the project, and the impact of any dissemination strategies budgeted. 
6. Reference list of publications cited in the application. 

(c) A curriculum vitae of each named applicant that includes: academic qualifications and memberships, positions held (current and previous), previous awards, grants awarded and publications. 

(d) Reports from two (2) referees on the required Referee Report Form available on the Council website. 

(e) A statement by employer/Ethics Committee confirming that research approval has been granted for this project or is currently in progress (where relevant). The following format should be used:

Refer to the checklist on the application form to confirm the required supporting documentation.

The Council or its Education and Research Committee will review all applications. Independent peer review of applications may also be sought. 

The Committee will recommend the total funding to be awarded, including approval of individual budget line items, however the final approval and authorisation of Grants is made by the Council. The Council has the authority to approve or reject an application.

Projects are funded on merit and assessed based relevance to the objectives of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) and benefit to the community.

The following criteria are applied to assess an application and inform the Committee’s decision making and recommendations to the Council for approval:

1. Whether the proposed research/research is consistent with the Council’s legislative responsibilities, aims, objectives and priorities in the strategic plan or other enabling document. 
2. Whether the proposed research/education will assist the Council to achieve its goals, maintain or promote its standards, or enable the Council to demonstrate value. 
3. The scientific validity of the proposed project and methodology. 
4. The proposed outcomes from the project. 
5. The resource implications for the Council, including a cost benefit analysis. 
6. The sensitivity of the information, including any personal and/or health information of health practitioners, complainants or others to be accessed for the research. 
7. The steps taken to ensure compliance with privacy legislation and the statutory guidelines on research issued by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. 
8. Whether the information to be accessed will be used and/or published in an aggregated and de-identified form. 

The decision of the Council is final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the decision. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application within three (3) months of the closing date.

All Grants are offered in accordance with the Funding Agreement, which is an agreement between the Council and the grantee, and conditions specified in Schedules to the Funding Agreement. In signing the Funding Agreement, the grantee is agreeing to the conditions contained in the Agreement and the Schedule. The Schedule includes a timetable for the payment and acquittal of funds. 

A Grant may not commence, nor Grant funds expended, prior to the Funding Agreement being in place and signed by the grantee and the delegated Council representative. 

Following sign off of the Funding Agreement, the Council will pay the initial funding instalment as scheduled in the Funding Agreement. Further instalments will be made following Council’s approval of interim reports.

A written report on the progress of the project, including status, findings and outcomes must be submitted to the Council at intervals specified in the Funding Agreement. A final report must be submitted to the Council no later than three (3) months after the conclusion of the project, or other timeframe as specified in the Funding Agreement or by agreement with the Council. 

The progress report and final report must include a financial report acquitting the funding provided against the budget. 

All information provided in reports may be used for internal reporting or reporting to stakeholders such as through the annual report, Council newsletter or website.

Research ethics 

Grantees must conduct their activities in an ethical and professional manner, ensuring validity and accuracy in the collection and reporting. Grantees must comply with all relevant ethical requirements in conducting research using Council data or in partnership with a Council or the HPCA.

This may include consideration of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines under section 95A of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) or the NSW Statutory Guidelines on Research under NSW Privacy legislation. 

Ethics Committee approval may be required for certain projects. Council will review the Ethics Review Checklist included in the application form to assist the Council to determine whether Ethics Committee approval is required to obtain a grant.

Data collection and use 

Researchers may seek access to Council data for research in relation to the Council’s regulatory activities. Council will only provide data that is de-identified. 

All requests for access to Council data must be included in the application and be supported by a description of how the data will be used, stored and disclosed as part of the project, and the relationship of the data to the project aims and outcomes.

Disclosure of conflicts of interest 

Grantees have an obligation to disclose, at the time of submitting a Grant application and/or reporting, any conflict of interest which has the potential to influence research and investigations, publication and media reports, grant applications, applications for appointment and promotion, or research commercialisation.

Privacy and confidentiality 

Grantees are responsible for ensuring that personal information is only used for the purposes for which consent to its access and use was given and that other privacy obligations are met in accordance with the NSW Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) or the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This includes ensuring secure storage for confidential material and information is maintained, and that access to that information is appropriately managed. 

Intellectual property and publication of results or findings 

Intellectual property should be identified and recorded. Intellectual property and copyright ownership and rights to subsequent use will be agreed through the Funding Agreement. 

Publication and research outputs 

Grantees should be committed to publishing results and disseminating research findings in an accurate and timely manner. Publication requirements may be included in the Funding Agreement. Rights to publication will be confirmed through ownership of intellectual property and copyright. All dissemination should appropriately acknowledge the support of the Council.

All reports and publications resulting from research must be presented in a way that does not enable an individual’s identity to be determined.

It is unlikely that a grantee will be registered for GST in the capacity for which the Grant is awarded. Where this is the case, no GST is payable on the Grant. However, a grantee who is not registered for GST may still be subject to Pay As You Go withholding tax at a rate of 48.5% unless a completed, signed "Statement by a Supplier" form is submitted indicating that the Grant payment is of a private and domestic nature.

Grantees who are registered for GST in the capacity for which the Grant is awarded have taxable supply obligations, where GST will be payable on the Grant monies received. In this case the Grant will be increased to cover the GST liability. However, the Council will require a tax invoice to be provided. There is no requirement for withholding tax to be deducted from the Grant if the grantee has provided an ABN on their application.

Grantees should contact their tax advisor or the Australian Taxation Office for any queries regarding GST impacts on a Grant.

Applicants should direct enquiries regarding the Council’s Education and Research Program to the Dental Council Executive Officer:

Phone: 1300 197 177 

Email: HPCA-DentalCouncil@health.nsw.gov.au 

Approved: 4 October 2024