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Dentistry Guide

The resources listed in this guide are highly recommended for the study of dentistry.

EBD Process

Definition of EBD

The American Dental Association (ADA) defines Evidence-based Dentistry (EBD) as “an approach to oral healthcare that requires the judicious integration of systematic assessments of clinically relevant scientific evidence, relating to the patient’s oral and medical condition and history, with the dentist’s clinical expertise and the patient’s treatment needs and preferences.”

Five Steps of EBD

Asking the Question

The question should be focused. Use PICO = population / intervention / comparison / outcome
Finding the Evidence Best evidence: systematic reviews and RCTs. Identify terms for your PICO question; look for secondary sources; search for primary sources
Critical Appraisal Use pre-appraised secondary sources. Here are some critical appraisal tools for primary sources: https://www.cebm.net/2014/06/critical-appraisal/
Making a Decision Translate evidence into clinical practice based on clinical expertise and patient concerns
Evaluation How do you evaluate it? How does your patient feel about it? How could it be done better the next time?

Critical Appraisal of Dental Literature

EBD Resources

Research Guides and Lit Searches

EBD in PubMed: Refine your searches

Finding Meta-analysis in PubMed
  1. Enter search words for the clinical question
  2. Click on the Limits link above the search entry box
  3. Under Type of Article click next to Meta-analysis
Finding Systematic Reviews in PubMed
  1. Enter search words for the clinical question
  2. Click on the Limits link above the search entry box
  3. Under Subsets click next to Systematic Reviews
Finding Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) in PubMed
  1. Enter search words for the clinical question
  2. Click on the Limits link above the search entry box
  3. Under Type of Article click Randomized Control Trial
Finding Cohort Studies in PubMed
  1. Enter search words for the clinical question
  2. Add Cohort Studies[MeSH] to your search terms
Finding Case-Control Studies in PubMed
  1. Enter search terms for the clinical question
  2. Add Case-Control Studies[Mesh] to the search words