Informing Research in Primary Dental Care: Setting Priorities

Abstract

This paper suggests that priorities for research in primary dental care should follow the examples set in other areas of primary healthcare. It reviews the history of research in primary dental care, since 1990, and goes on to explain how the Delphi exercise, initiated by the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK), has identified five priority areas for research in primary dental care. These areas are:

1. Research into the application of evidence-based dentistry into practice.

2. The effects of different systems of remuneration on treatment patterns in practice.

3. The oral health assessment on determining recall intervals and its effect on oral health.

4. Factors that influence and affect dentists’ treatment modalities.

5. The evaluation of the cost benefits of whole team training.