Sample Clinical Questions/Scenarios for Evidence-Based Dentistry

 

1)  Is periodontal disease associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke?

2)  Is there clinical evidence that glass-ionomer cements inhibit secondary caries at the restoration margin?

3)  Are fluoride varnishes effective in the prevention of dental caries in children?

4)  Do electric toothbrushes work as well as or better than manual toothbrushes to remove plaque when used by children?

 

The key to a successful search is to clearly define your research question, and then break your question down into its component concepts.  A complete clinical question will often cover the following areas, using the PICO framework:

• Patient, population or problem
• Intervention
• Comparison (not always included)
• Outcome