Development of Undergraduate Research Skill: Critical Issue in Evidence-Based Dentistry

• Main Authors: Hedaiat Moradpoor, Alireza Rezvani, Farshad Rahimi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences 2013-08-01
• Series: Educational Research in Medical Sciences
• Online Access: http://journals.kums.ac.ir/ojs/index.php/EduRMedS/article/view/1260/2636

Evidence-based dentistry (EBD) is an approach to oral health care which helps to decision making in clinical practice. EBD is an integration of systematic assessments of clinically relevant scientific evidence, relating to the patient's oral and medical condition and history (1). It is a new model for dental education which is designed to increase current research into student education and practice and also help practitioners provide the best care for their patients (2). As part of the future of dental school education in many schools, it is an ideal way of preparing graduates for Evidence-based dentistry and subsequent independent practice (3).To better focus on clinical issues, dental guidelines should be assessed initially. Systematic reviews should be considered to serve as a basis for development of evidence-based guidelines. In order to provide the best present evidence, systematic reviews should be rigorous. The overall quality of evidence in coordinate with other factors (balance between treatment outcomes and side effects, patients’ variables, and cost-effectiveness of treatment) should be reassessed to determine the strength of new recommendations. This approach is supposed to lead in proper clinical guidelines and improved dental treatments (4). To achieve this goal one of the pivotal item is developing research skill of undergraduate students and particularly teachers and dental schools officials have an important role in curriculum development. Education should be initiated to discuss, develop, and implement a core curriculum for research development. Although research in medical education has a practical aspect, but it is of great significance to rely on fund a mental theories otherwise research outcomes will be superficial and uninteresting. Considering this point is necessary for researches with a problem oriented approach (5). If research in dental education continues to be a free service in dental schools it may promote student clinical decision, better judgment of basic science.Several researchers in medical education do primordial research. These researchers have been educated in medicine as their primary major and perform clinical research as well. However, when they started medical education, they were not prepared properly to lead research projects. These researchers have a tendency to transfer their experiences and understandings from their research field to the domain of medical education (5).We recommend to educators, school, and educational officials to initiate a curriculum for these dental research courses and improve this situation.