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DEN 213W: Community Dental Health

A resource guide for the DEN213W writing assignment

Evidence-Based Research

American Dental Association’s Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry

  • Clinical practice guidelines

PubMed   Search engine for medical and dental literature

Suggested Search Limits:

  • English language
  • Published in last 5 years
  • Article Types: Meta-Analysis, Randomized Controlled Trials

Cochrane Library  Systematic Articles published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.  Cochrane contains many articles that are NOT free.  DO NOT PAY FOR THEM! Copy and past the article title and author into the library's discovery tool to locate open source versions OR interlibrary loan the article for FREE!

Suggested Search Limits for Cochrane:

  • Select topic 'Dentistry and Oral Health' 
  • Published in last 5 years
  • Cochrane is already limited to the Systematic Article type. 

A-Z list of Journals  

To link to full-text articles in our databases, or check availability in our print holdings.

SUNY Broome Peer-Reviewed Journals for Dental Hygiene/Dentistry

Journals available in SUNY Broome databases

Medline

  • Check the box for "EBM Reviews"  under the search options, or limit your search to Publication Type "Meta-Analysis" CTRL+"Randomized Contolled Trial"

CINAHL    Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature

  • Limit your search to Publication Type  "Meta-Analysis" CTRL+ "Randomized Contolled Trial"

Grading System Based on Strength of Recommendation

Levels of evidence. (2009). Journal of Evidence Based Dental Practice, 9(1): A5-A8.

 

Guide information compiled by Karen Pitcher.

 

How to read a scientific article

Research Terminology Glossary

Research Terminology Glossary 


Basic Study Design Terms


Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT): An experimental study where participants are randomly assigned to either a treatment (intervention) group or a control group to determine the effectiveness of a specific intervention.
Blinding: The process of preventing participants, researchers, or both from knowing which treatment group a participant is assigned to, reducing bias.
Single-blind: Participants don't know which group they're in
Double-blind: Neither participants nor researchers know the group assignments
Triple-blind: Participants, researchers, and data analysts are all unaware of group assignments
Control Group: Participants who do not receive the experimental treatment but instead receive a standard treatment, no treatment, or a placebo.
Intervention Group (also called "Experimental Group" or "Treatment Group"): Participants who receive the treatment being studied.
Placebo: An inactive substance or treatment that looks like the active treatment but has no therapeutic effect.
Placebo Effect: A beneficial effect produced by a placebo treatment that cannot be attributed to the properties of the placebo itself.
Crossover Design: A study design where participants receive both the intervention and control treatments in a random sequence with a "washout period" in between.
Cohort Study: An observational study that follows a group of people (a cohort) over time to determine outcomes.
Case-Control Study: An observational study that compares people with a specific condition (cases) to those without it (controls) to identify risk factors.


Randomization & Sampling Terms


Randomization: The process of assigning participants to groups by chance, giving each participant an equal probability of being assigned to any group.
Allocation Concealment: Procedures that prevent researchers from knowing which treatment the next participant will receive until after enrollment, reducing selection bias.
Stratified Randomization: Dividing participants into subgroups (strata) based on specific characteristics, then randomizing within each stratum.
Block Randomization: A technique that ensures balanced allocation to treatment groups throughout the trial by randomizing participants in small "blocks."
Sample Size: The number of participants in a study.
Convenience Sample: Participants selected based on easy accessibility rather than random selection.
Inclusion Criteria: Characteristics that potential participants must have to be included in a study.
Exclusion Criteria: Characteristics that disqualify potential participants from a study.


Statistical Terms


P-value: The probability of obtaining results at least as extreme as those observed, assuming the null hypothesis is true. Typically, p<0.05 is considered statistically significant.
Statistical Significance: Indicates that research results are unlikely to have occurred by chance. Usually defined as p<0.05.
Clinical Significance: The practical importance of a treatment effect – whether it makes a real difference in patients' lives regardless of statistical significance.
Confidence Interval (CI): A range of values that likely contains the true value of an unknown population parameter. Common CIs are 95% or 99%.
Example: A 95% CI of 1.2-1.8 means there's a 95% probability that the true value falls between 1.2 and 1.8.
Power: The probability of detecting a true effect if one exists. Higher power (typically aiming for at least 80%) reduces the risk of Type II errors.
Type I Error: Incorrectly rejecting a true null hypothesis (false positive) – claiming an effect exists when it doesn't.
Type II Error: Incorrectly accepting a false null hypothesis (false negative) – missing a real effect.
Null Hypothesis: The assumption that there is no difference or relationship between variables.
Alternative Hypothesis: The hypothesis that there is a difference or relationship between variables.
Relative Risk (RR): The ratio of the probability of an outcome in an exposed group to the probability in an unexposed group.
Odds Ratio (OR): The ratio of the odds of an outcome in an exposed group to the odds in an unexposed group.
Number Needed to Treat (NNT): The average number of patients who need to receive a specific treatment to prevent one additional negative outcome.


Data Analysis Terms


Intention-to-Treat (ITT) Analysis: Analyzing participant data based on their initially assigned treatment group regardless of whether they completed the treatment, preserving randomization.
Per-Protocol Analysis: Analyzing only the data from participants who completed the treatment exactly as planned.
Confounding Variable: A factor that influences both the dependent variable and independent variable, potentially leading to incorrect conclusions about cause and effect.
Adjustment: Statistical techniques used to account for confounding variables.
Subgroup Analysis: Examining treatment effects in specific subsets of participants.
Interim Analysis: Analysis conducted before study completion to monitor safety or efficacy.
Meta-Analysis: A statistical technique that combines results from multiple studies to increase statistical power and improve estimates of effect size.
Effect Size: A quantitative measure of the magnitude of a phenomenon (e.g., the difference between two groups).
Mean: The average value in a dataset (sum of values divided by number of values).
Median: The middle value in a dataset when arranged in order.
Standard Deviation (SD): A measure of the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of values.
Interquartile Range (IQR): The range between the first quartile (25th percentile) and third quartile (75th percentile) of a dataset.


Research Quality Terms


Bias: Systematic error that leads to deviation from true values. Types include:
Selection Bias: Error due to how participants are selected
Performance Bias: Differences in care provided apart from the intervention
Detection Bias: Differences in outcome assessment
Attrition Bias: Differences in withdrawals from the study
Reporting Bias: Selective reporting of outcomes
Validity: The extent to which a measurement tool measures what it's supposed to measure.
Internal Validity: The extent to which a study establishes cause-and-effect relationships
External Validity: The extent to which results can be generalized to other settings or populations
Reliability: The consistency of a measurement tool – whether it produces similar results under consistent conditions.
Hawthorne Effect: Changes in behavior when participants know they're being observed.
CONSORT Statement: Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials – guidelines for reporting randomized trials.
STROBE Statement: Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology – guidelines for reporting observational studies.
PRISMA Statement: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses – guidelines for reporting systematic reviews.


Dental-Specific Research Terms


Split-Mouth Design: A study design where different treatments are applied to different areas of the same participant's mouth, allowing for within-subject comparisons.
Calibration: The process of training examiners to ensure consistency in measurements or assessments in dental research.
Probing Depth (PD): Measurement from the gingival margin to the base of the gingival sulcus or periodontal pocket.
Clinical Attachment Level (CAL): Measurement from the cementoenamel junction to the base of the gingival sulcus or periodontal pocket.
Bleeding on Probing (BOP): Presence or absence of bleeding after gentle probing of the gingival sulcus.
Gingival Index (GI): A scoring system to assess the severity of gingivitis based on color, consistency, and bleeding.
Plaque Index (PI): A scoring system to measure the amount of dental plaque.
DMFT/DMFS Index: Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth/Surfaces – measures of dental caries experience.
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS): A measurement tool to assess subjective experiences like pain in dental studies.
Fluoride Efficacy: Measurement of the effectiveness of fluoride in preventing dental caries, often expressed as percent reduction in caries.


Evidence Hierarchy Terms


Evidence-Based Practice: The integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values.
Evidence Hierarchy: A ranking system for different types of research based on their potential for bias.
Systematic Review: A comprehensive review that uses systematic methods to identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research.
Meta-Analysis: A statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies.
Randomized Controlled Trial: Experimental study with random assignment to intervention and control groups.
Cohort Study: Observational study following groups over time.
Case-Control Study: Observational study comparing cases with a condition to controls without it.
Cross-Sectional Study: Observational study analyzing data at a specific point in time.
Case Series/Case Report: Description of interesting characteristics observed in a patient or small group.
Expert Opinion: Recommendations based on clinical experience rather than systematic research.