What is Evidence-based Dentistry?

What is EBD?

David Sacket originally defined Evidence-based medicine as, 

'the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of best evidence in making decisions about care of individual patients' (ref 1)

As the area has developed over the ensuing years this has been modified to:
'Evidence-based medicine is the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values.' (ref 2)

The American Dental Association (ADA) (ref 3) has defined Evidence-based dentistry as an approach to oral health care that requires the judicious integration of:

  • systematic assessments of clinically relevant scientific evidence, relating to the patients oral and medical condition and history,  together with the
  • dentists clinical expertise and
  • the patients treatment needs and preferences


Delegates at the second international conference of Evidence-based health care teachers in Sicily discussed the need for a clear definition of what constitutes evidence-based practice (EBP), what skills are needed to practice in an Evidence-based manner and a curriculum that outlines the minimum requirements for training health professionals in EBP. They produced the Sicily consensus statement on Evidence-based practice (ref 4).

References:

  1. David L Sackett, William M C Rosenberg, J A Muir Gray, R Brian Haynes, and W Scott Richardson. Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn't. BMJ 1996; 312: 71-72
  2. Introduction to EBM Centre for Evidence-based Medicine, University of Toronto
  3. Policy Statement on Evidence-based Dentistry (ADA)
  4. Dawes et al. Sicily statement on Evidence-based practice. BMC Medical Education 2005, 5:1
     

Page last edited: 11 March 2005