Community Dental Health

1
Community Dental Health
2
Why Read Research Articles

• To provide
• Up-to-date scientifically sound information
• The best client care in role of clinician,
  educator, manager,advocator and researcher
• Cost-effective practices
• To understand
• Consumer perspectives / involvement
• New technologies
• n.b. professional development standards require
  practice to be research or evidence-based when
  possible

3
Professional Journals

• Basic source of current information
• Research reports
• Literary reviews summaries / meta-analyses
  reports
• Commentaries
• Internet / w.w.w. sites

4
Criteria for Reviewing Dental Literature

• Overall Description of Article
• 1. Title concise and descriptive
• 2. Author
• - credentials noted
• - affiliations non-commercial
• - evidence of financial support
• 3. Article found in peer-reviewed journal
• 4. Data - current

5
Criteria for Reviewing Dental Literature

• B. References provided
• Comprehensive, recent and accurate
• C. Research problem described
• Clearly stated
• Thorough literature review
• Important terms and concepts defined
• Objectives / hypotheses follow directly from
  problem statement

6
Criteria for Reviewing Dental Literature

• D. Experimental and Descriptive Research
• Population sample described
• Allocation of groups outlined
• Sampling technique described and adequate
• Evidence of non-bias selections and assignment of
  sample
• Research design described
• Tests and instruments valid and reliable
• Conditions of measurements are completely
  described
• Duration of study indicated and appropriate

7
Criteria for Reviewing Dental Literature

• E. Data Analysis
• Statistical tests described, computer programs
  specified
• Hypotheses tested through statistical analysis
• Straight-forward, clear, understandable and titled

8
Criteria for Reviewing Dental Literature

• F. Discussion
• Significance of findings
• Strengths and weaknesses of study
• Complications
• Results related to current literature
• Are they useful to you?

9
Criteria for Reviewing Dental Literature

• G. Conclusion
• Clearly stated
• Supported by the findings
• findings should be statistically significant
  and clinically meaningful

10
Reading Research (Format Usual Elements)

• Title
• Presents the subject of the study
• Abstract
• Describes what the researchers did and concluded
• Introduction
• Outlines background of issue
• Summarizes existing knowledge on subject
• States research question / objective

11
Reading Research (Format Usual Elements)

• Method
• Design plan / approach
• Sample subjects / participants
• Data collection
• Data Analyses and Results
• Procedures / methods used
• Discussion
• Researchers opinion of what they think the study
  means for practice