According to the American Dental Association, Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) is “an approach to oral health 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”. Evidence-based decisions must be more circular in nature than traditional decisions, as they must simultaneously take into account scientific evidence, clinical experience, and patient preferences, rather than the traditional “Condition AàTreatment BàOutcome” approach. In EBD, research evidence should be used to guide, rather than dictate clinical approaches.
Each year, the ADA holds an Evidence-Based Dentistry Champions Conference, with the goal of recruiting and training dental professionals throughout the United States in EBD approaches and applications, and how to apply these principles in clinical-decision making.
What has your experience with EBD to date? How have your instructors helped you apply this approach toward one of your clinic patients? How do you compare EBD to traditional "conditionally defined" treatment options?