Evidence based dentistry – between the science and the clinical practice

It is generally accepted that the more experience a physician or a dentist possess better the quality of health care delivery. However, recent studies had shown that there is in fact an inverse relationship between the number of years of practice and the quality of care provided. Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) is a process that restructures the way in which we think about clinical problems. It is an approach to clinical problem solving that has evolved from a self-directed and problem based approach to learning rather than the more traditional didactic form. The American Dental Association’s definition is by far the most comprehensive, as it captures the core elements of EBD and it is namely patient–centered definition. They define it as an approach to oral health care 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. This paper outlines this role, together with the advantages and problems of introducing an evidence based approach to dentistry. Key words: dentistry, dental education, evidence-based dentistr