Resumo

PAGOLLANG MOTLOBA, D; NDWANDWE, Nompumelelo N.; SANYANE, Aobakwe  e  BLACK, AI. Participation of Dental Students in Research - Collaboration or Coercion. S. Afr. dent. j. [online]. 2025, vol.80, n.10, pp.567-569. ISSN 0375-1562.

This paper interrogates the ethical dimensions of dental student's participation in academic research, challenging the assumption that such participation is inherently collaborative. We draw on theories of captivity, vulnerability, and bounded autonomy to argue that dental students constitute a structurally constrained and relationally dependent population whose agency may be compromised by institutional hierarchies and academic pressures. Notwithstanding that research participation offers cognitive, professional, and pedagogical benefits, the paper contends that these advantages must be weighed against the risks of coercion, undue inducement, and exploitation. Through a layered ethical analysis, the study reframes student participation not merely as a pedagogical tool but as a site of moral tension requiring robust safeguards. In our conclusion, we call for the implementation of transparent recruitment protocols, independent oversight, and the separation of instructional and research roles to uphold the principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Ultimately, the paper advocates for a rights-based approach to student research participation, the affirmation of autonomy while acknowledging the structural vulnerabilities embedded in academic institutions.

Palavras-chave : captivity; vulnerability; agency; dental students; research participation.

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