A practical approach to evidence-based dentistry: How to search for evidence to inform clinical decisions

Background and Overview. Knowing how to search for evidence that can inform clinical decisions is a fundamental skill for the practice of evidence-based dentistry. There are many available types of evidence-based resources, characterized by their degrees of coverage of preappraised or summarized evidence at varying levels of processing, from primary studies to systematic reviews and clinical guidelines. The practice of evidence-based dentistry requires familiarity with these resources. In this article, the authors describe the process of searching for evidence: defining the question, identifying the question's nature and main components, and selecting the study design that best addresses the question.

Practice Implications. Dentists who wish to inform their decisions with the current best evidence can use these guidelines to define their questions of interest and search efficiently for this evidence.