From bench-top to chair-side: how scientific evidence is incorporated into clinical practice.

Objectives: The objective of this manuscript is to describe the process through which bench-top research is incorporated into clinical practice from an evidence-based dentistry perspective.

Methods: Relevant literature is reviewed to describe the translation of bench-top research to clinical practice through the steps of preclinical testing; human clinical trials; systematic review development (question development, search/screen methods, evidence synthesis, and evidence appraisal); clinical recommendation development; dissemination strategies; the role of the clinician in finding and appraising relevant evidence; barriers to implementation with strategies to overcome those barriers; and finally, the fusion of evidence with clinician experience and patient needs and preferences in clinical decision-making.

Significance: Descriptions of processes, methodologies, tools, and resources are provided to help researchers and clinicians alike understand the steps that lie between bench-top research and clinical implementation.

American Dental Association's Resources to Support Evidence-Based Dentistry.

Time and access have often been cited as barriers to implementing Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD). This paper describes a new web-based resource launched by the American Dental Association to enable practitioners to incorporate evidence into treatment planning. The website offers a database of systematic reviews, critical summaries of systematic reviews, evidence-based clinical recommendations and links to external resources to enable practitioners to access evidence at the point of care.

Evidence Locator: sources of evidence-based dentistry information.

Multiple resources are available to help practitioners access the latest scientific evidence. Evidence-based dentistry (EBD) is an approach to clinical decision making that incorporates the most current and comprehensive scientific evidence with the practitioner's judgment and the patient's needs and preferences. One challenge in implementing this approach is access to evidence, and there are multiple online resources that can be used in this endeavor.