topic for dental research

121+ Interesting Dental Research Topics for Undergraduates

Did you know poor oral health can be linked to heart disease? It’s true! This surprising fact underscores the importance of dental research in maintaining overall health and well-being. 

Understanding the intricate connections between oral health and systemic conditions like heart disease highlights the critical role of research in advancing our knowledge and improving patient outcomes. 

In this blog, we will delve into various dental research topics tailored specifically for undergraduates, providing insights, resources, and inspiration to explore this fascinating field further. 

Whether you’re passionate about dentistry or simply curious about the intersection of oral health and overall wellness, join us as we uncover the exciting possibilities in dental research for undergraduates.

What is Dental Research Topic?

Table of Contents

A dental research topic is a subject of study within the field of dentistry that aims to explore, investigate, and analyze various aspects related to oral health, dental care, and dental treatments. 

These topics cover a wide range of areas, including but not limited to dental diseases, preventive measures, treatment methods, oral hygiene practices, dental technology advancements, and the impact of oral health on overall well-being. 

Dental research topics provide opportunities for scholars, researchers, and students to contribute to the advancement of dental science, improve patient care, and address current challenges in oral health care.

Importance of Dental Research Topics for Undergraduates

Dental research topics are essential for undergraduates for several reasons:

Skill Development

Engaging in dental research topics helps undergraduates develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills essential for their academic and professional growth.

Contribution to Knowledge

Undertaking research allows undergraduates to contribute to the existing body of knowledge in dentistry, advancing the field and addressing emerging challenges.

Career Preparation

Research experience enhances students’ competitiveness for dental school admissions, graduate programs, and future careers in academia, clinical practice, or research institutions.

Practical Application

Research topics offer undergraduates the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom to real-world scenarios, fostering a deeper understanding of dental concepts and techniques.

Professional Networking

Engaging in research exposes undergraduates to collaboration with peers, faculty, and professionals, facilitating valuable networking opportunities within the dental community.

Popular Dental Research Topics for Undergraduates

Dental research topics for undergraduates encompass a wide range of areas within dentistry. Here are some examples across different subfields:

Dental Diseases

• The role of genetics in the development of periodontal disease.
• Strategies for early detection and prevention of dental caries.
• Investigating the link between diabetes and periodontal disease.
• Factors influencing the prevalence of oral cancer among different demographics.
• Impact of dietary habits on the occurrence of enamel erosion.
• Effectiveness of fluoride in preventing dental decay.
• The role of saliva in maintaining oral health and preventing diseases.
• Trends in the prevalence of temporomandibular joint disorders.
• Oral manifestations of systemic diseases: A comprehensive review.
• Investigating the relationship between oral health and overall systemic health.
• The effectiveness of probiotics in preventing oral infections.
• Psychological factors influencing dental anxiety and its management.

Dental Treatments

• Comparison of different types of dental implants: Materials, techniques, and success rates.
• Advancements in minimally invasive techniques for dental restoration.
• Comparative analysis of traditional braces versus clear aligners in orthodontic treatment.
• The role of lasers in various dental procedures: Benefits and limitations.
• Innovations in endodontic treatment: From rotary instruments to regenerative techniques.
• Efficacy of different whitening agents in professional and over-the-counter dental bleaching.
• The impact of COVID-19 on dental practice: Adaptations, challenges, and future implications.
• Investigating the use of stem cells in dental tissue regeneration.
• Comparative study of different materials used in dental restorations: Strength, durability, and aesthetics.
• Exploring the potential of 3D printing technology in prosthodontics and oral surgery.
• Patient satisfaction and outcomes following different types of orthognathic surgeries.
• Long-term success rates of various techniques in root canal therapy.

Oral Health Promotion and Education

• Effectiveness of school-based oral health education programs in improving children’s oral hygiene.
• Strategies for promoting oral health in underserved communities: Challenges and solutions.
• Role of social media and technology in disseminating oral health information.
• Impact of community water fluoridation on dental caries prevention.
• The role of parents and caregivers in establishing children’s oral hygiene habits.
• Cultural influences on oral health beliefs and practices: Implications for public health campaigns.
• Effectiveness of motivational interviewing in promoting behavior change for better oral health.
• Investigating the efficacy of school-based dental sealant programs.
• Oral health literacy among different populations: Assessments and interventions.
• The role of dentists in advocating for policies promoting oral health equity.
• Strategies for improving oral health outcomes among elderly populations.
• Integrating oral health education into primary care settings: Opportunities and challenges.

Dental Materials and Biomaterials

• Biocompatibility of dental materials: Assessing safety and long-term effects.
• Development of antimicrobial dental materials to prevent biofilm formation.
• Investigating the mechanical properties of novel dental composites.
• Bioactive materials in dentistry: Applications and clinical implications.
• Biodegradable materials for temporary dental restorations.
• Nanotechnology in dentistry: Potential applications and future directions.
• Development of remineralizing agents for the management of dental caries.
• Investigating the properties and applications of dental ceramics.
• Biomimetic materials in dentistry: Mimicking natural tooth structure for improved outcomes.
• Sustainable practices in dental material manufacturing and disposal.
• Advances in adhesive systems for bonding dental restorations.
• Biomechanical properties of dental implant materials: Enhancing stability and osseointegration.

Oral Microbiology and Immunology

• Microbiome of the oral cavity: Composition, dynamics, and role in health and disease.
• Host-pathogen interactions in periodontal diseases: Insights into disease progression.
• Immunological responses to dental biofilms and their implications for treatment.
• Role of probiotics in modulating oral microbiota and preventing dental diseases.
• Viral infections in dentistry: From herpesviruses to SARS-CoV-2.
• Impact of antimicrobial resistance on dental infections and treatment outcomes.
• Microbial ecology of dental plaques in different oral environments.
• Oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS: Diagnosis, management, and implications.
• Biofilm formation on dental implant surfaces: Prevention and management strategies.
• Innate and adaptive immune responses in oral mucosal diseases.
• Virulence factors of oral pathogens and their role in disease progression.
• Immunomodulatory properties of dental materials and their impact on tissue response.

Dental Public Health

• Epidemiology of dental diseases: Trends, disparities, and risk factors.
• Health promotion strategies for improving access to dental care in rural areas.
• Oral health inequalities among different socioeconomic groups: Causes and solutions.
• Cost-effectiveness of preventive dental interventions: A systematic review.
• Integrating oral health into primary care: Models of collaborative practice.
• Tele-dentistry: Opportunities and challenges for improving access to dental care.
• Oral health surveillance systems: Monitoring trends and assessing needs.
• Assessing the effectiveness of community water fluoridation programs.
• Role of dental professionals in addressing oral health disparities.
• Impact of environmental factors on oral health outcomes: Pollution, climate change, and urbanization.
• Dental workforce issues: Distribution, shortages, and workforce diversity.
• Oral health policies and advocacy: Strategies for promoting legislative change.

Pediatric Dentistry

• Early childhood caries: Risk factors, prevention, and management strategies.
• Behavior management techniques in pediatric dentistry: Evidence-based approaches.
• Oral health outcomes of children with special healthcare needs: Challenges and interventions.
• Dental trauma in children: Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
• Assessment of dental fear and anxiety in pediatric patients: Tools and interventions.
• Maternal and child oral health: Prenatal factors influencing dental health outcomes.
• Dental developmental anomalies: Diagnosis, management, and long-term implications.
• Effectiveness of fluoride varnish application in preventing dental caries in children.
• Impact of nutrition and dietary habits on pediatric oral health.
• Pediatric sedation techniques in dentistry: Safety, efficacy, and guidelines.
• Orthodontic considerations in pediatric dentistry: Early intervention and treatment planning.
• Pediatric dental emergencies: Management and prevention strategies.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Outcomes of orthognathic surgery in patients with skeletal discrepancies.
• Management of impacted third molars: Indications, techniques, and complications.
• Reconstruction of maxillofacial defects following trauma or tumor resection: Surgical options and outcomes.
• Temporomandibular joint disorders: Diagnosis, management, and surgical interventions.
• Bone grafting techniques in implant dentistry: Approaches and success rates.
• Surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea: Role of maxillomandibular advancement.
• Surgical treatment options for cleft lip and palate: Multidisciplinary approaches and long-term outcomes.
• Surgical management of oral and maxillofacial infections: Antibiotic therapy, drainage, and debridement.
• Soft tissue augmentation techniques in aesthetic and functional maxillofacial surgery.
• Advancements in minimally invasive techniques for orthognathic surgery.
• Surgical management of facial trauma: Emergency interventions and long-term rehabilitation.
• Digital planning and navigation in oral and maxillofacial surgery: Enhancing precision and outcomes.

Dental Education and Training

• Effectiveness of simulation-based training in dental education: Skill acquisition and retention.
• Integration of digital technology into dental curricula: Challenges and opportunities.
• Peer-assisted learning in dental education: Impact on student performance and satisfaction.
• Interprofessional education in dentistry: Collaborative approaches to patient care.
• Continuing education requirements for dental professionals: Trends and implications.
• Assessment methods in dental education: Moving beyond traditional exams.
• The role of mentorship in shaping the career trajectories of dental students.
• Global perspectives in dental education: Cross-cultural experiences and challenges.
• Incorporating evidence-based practice into dental curricula: Strategies and outcomes.
• Tele-education in dentistry: Remote learning platforms and their effectiveness.
• Student perceptions of clinical experiences in dental education: Barriers and facilitators.
• Innovations in competency-based dental education: Assessing clinical proficiency and readiness for practice.

Dental Technology and Innovation

• Artificial intelligence in dentistry: Applications in diagnosis, treatment planning, and outcomes prediction.
• Virtual reality and augmented reality in dental education and patient care.
• Robotics in dentistry: Automation of procedures and precision in surgical interventions.
• Wearable technology for monitoring oral health behaviors and conditions.
• 3D printing in dentistry: Customization of dental implants, prostheses, and surgical guides.
• Digital smile design: Utilizing technology for aesthetic treatment planning and communication.
• Smart materials in dentistry: Self-healing, self-cleaning, and bioactive properties.
• Teledentistry platforms for remote consultations, monitoring, and patient education.
• Biomimetic approaches in dental materials design: Mimicking natural tooth structure and function.
• Nanomaterials in oral healthcare products: Enhanced delivery systems and therapeutic applications.
• Bioprinting of dental tissues and organs: Advancements in regenerative dentistry.
• Energy-based devices in dentistry: Laser therapy, photobiomodulation, and electrosurgery applications.
• Development of a Smart Toothbrush with Artificial Intelligence Integration.

These topics offer a comprehensive overview of the diverse areas within the field of dental research and provide undergraduates with a plethora of options for exploring their interests and making meaningful contributions to the discipline.

Current Trends in Dental Research

Several trends were prevalent in dental research. While there may have been further developments since then, here are some prominent trends at that time:

Biomimetic Dentistry

Mimicking natural tooth structure and function using advanced materials and techniques.

Tele-dentistry

Utilizing technology for remote consultations, monitoring, and patient education, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regenerative Dentistry

Developing therapies to regenerate dental tissues and promote natural healing processes.

Personalized Dentistry

Tailoring treatment plans based on individual patient characteristics, genetics, and preferences.

Minimally Invasive Dentistry

Emphasizing conservative approaches to preserve tooth structure and improve patient comfort.

Digital Dentistry

Integration of digital technology for diagnostics, treatment planning, and fabrication of dental restorations.

Nanotechnology

Utilizing nanomaterials for improved dental materials, drug delivery systems, and diagnostic tools.

Challenges in Dental Research Topics

Dental research, like any scientific field, faces its share of challenges. These challenges can span various aspects of the research process, from funding and resources to methodological complexities and ethical considerations. Here are some common challenges in dental research:

Funding Constraints

Limited financial resources hinder the initiation and continuation of dental research projects.

Access to Resources

Inadequate access to specialized equipment, materials, and facilities poses a barrier to conducting comprehensive research.

Recruitment of Participants

Difficulty in recruiting diverse and representative study populations affects the generalizability of research findings.

Ethical Considerations

Navigating ethical complexities, such as informed consent and privacy concerns, adds challenges to dental research.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Facilitating collaboration between dental professionals, researchers, and other disciplines is essential but often challenging.

Translation of Research into Practice

Bridging the gap between research findings and clinical implementation remains a significant challenge in dental research.

The exploration of dental research topics holds immense promise for advancing oral health care and addressing multifaceted challenges within the field. 

From unraveling the mysteries of oral diseases to pioneering innovative treatments and technologies, dental research serves as the cornerstone of progress and improvement in patient outcomes. 

Despite facing various challenges such as funding constraints and ethical considerations, the pursuit of dental research remains crucial for enhancing preventive measures, refining treatment modalities, and promoting overall well-being.

By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, embracing emerging trends, and prioritizing the translation of research findings into practice, the dental community can continue to drive impactful discoveries and advancements for the benefit of individuals worldwide.

1. How can I stay updated on the latest dental research?

Staying updated on the latest dental research can be as simple as subscribing to reputable dental journals, attending conferences, and following dental research institutions and experts on social media platforms.

2. What are some examples of emerging dental research topics?

Emerging dental research topics include genetics and oral health, biomaterials and tissue engineering, and microbiome studies, among others.

3. Why is dental research important for patients?

Dental research drives innovation in oral healthcare, leading to improved treatment outcomes, personalized care, and enhanced preventive strategies for patients.

Related Posts

Science Fair Project Ideas For 6th Graders

When it comes to Science Fair Project Ideas For 6th Graders, the possibilities are endless! These projects not only help students develop essential skills, such…

Java Project Ideas for Beginners

Java is one of the most popular programming languages. It is used for many applications, from laptops to data centers, gaming consoles, scientific supercomputers, and…

Skip to content

​Support the College of Dental Medicine

Community outreach.

Learn more about the College of Dental Medicine's community outreach programs. 

​Postdoctoral and Residency Programs

​dds program.

Half of our graduates go directly into specialty training upon completion of the DDS degree.

​Research Areas

Patient care, columbiadoctors dentistry, become a student.

Learn more about the admissions process and how you can apply.

​​Student Research Projects

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Primary care clinicians can help reduce oral health disparities

Treatment allows most children to lead a healthy life

Research reveals how oral microbes shape health

Get a glimpse into how NIDCR scientists study pain perception

Diversity at NIDCR

NIDCR is dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse community in its research training and employment programs.

Learn about Diversity at NIDCR

Our Research

NIDCR is the federal government's lead agency for scientific research on dental, oral and craniofacial health and disease.

Leadership & Staff

Research funded by nidcr (extramural), research conducted at nidcr (intramural).

• Member Login

Oral Health Topics

The Oral Health Topics section on ADA.org is intended to provide dentists with clinically relevant, evidence-based science behind the issues that may affect their patients and their practice. Refer to the Oral Health Topics for current scientific reviews of subjects that relate to oral health, from amalgam separators and antibiotic prophylaxis to xerostomia and X-rays.

Featured oral health topics

Learn which oral analgesics  are used for the management of acute dental pain.

Understand Occupational Safety and Health Administration  (OSHA) safety standards.

Learn about special considerations for pregnant patients and pregnant dental personnel .

Efficacy information about whitening  treatments for extrinsic and intrinsic staining.

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• J Conserv Dent
• v.15(1); Jan-Mar 2012

Research methodology in Dentistry: Part I – The essentials and relevance of research

Jogikalmat krithikadatta.

Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Mennakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospitals, Maduravoyal, Chennai – 600095, India

The need for scientific evidence should be the basis of clinical practice. The field of restorative dentistry and endodontics is evolving at a rapid pace, with the introduction of several materials, instruments, and equipments. However, there is minimal information of their relevance in clinical practice. On the one hand, material and laboratory research is critical, however; its translation into clinical practice is not being substantiated enough with clinical research. This four part review series focuses on methods to improve evidence-based practice, by improving methods to integrate laboratory and clinical research.

INTRODUCTION

The field of dental research in India has witnessed exponential growth in the last five years.[ 1 ] However, scientific publications in international peer-reviewed journals have been few.[ 2 ] The lacuna of Indian contribution to international scientific literature is probably a skewed understanding of research and its contribution in effecting improved patient care. The primary purpose of research is to produce new knowledge or find new ways of making the existing knowledge available to those who need it. Research is not a separate speciality which is practiced by a few but it is a systematic approach of reasoning, documenting, analysing and reporting unusual clinical observations that we come across in everyday clinical practice. Whether one is a “doer” or a “user” of research, a thorough understanding of the methodology is essential. In addition to individual practitioners, the “users” of research includes 1) professional organizations that set “practice guidelines”;2) policy makers (sometimes called as “decision makers”) and 3) program managers (for example, state or national government managers of dental health programs). While the academicians and research scholars (teaching institutions) have a unique position to be “Doers” of research. The value for research for its own sake is limited, and therefore understanding the essential concepts in Research Methodology is vital in producing dependable knowledge.

The purpose of this review series is to help the reader to organize the thought process when considering research needs and methods. It also aims to sensitize the mind to research avenues that would be beneficial to material and clinical research in particular and improving the quality of clinical care in general. This four-part review series encompasses topics on essentials of research, fundamentals in biostatistics, observational studies, and experimental studies in each part.

Conduct of research: The head start

Every action is first conceived in the mind and later executed. Planning a good research project forms the primary basis of meaningful publication. Certain fundamental requisites are listed in Table 1 . Focus in a particular area of interest is essential to build up a strong forte in academic excellence. Random choice of research projects dilutes the resource contribution in random directions and results in lack of identity of the person or faculty. Generating research hypothesis must aim at answering clinically relevant questions. The rationale for the choice of a particular stream could also result in a new concept of thinking or change the methods of treatment protocols.

Requisites of good research

It is prudent to decide apriori as to whom the results of a particular research question would be useful and will the results be applicable to patients in dental practices in the real world. Conventionally, in-vitro or laboratory research studies have good internal validity but poor external validity which means that the results obtained are only applicable to similar samples of the study. In other words, the results may not transfer to the clinical behaviour of the material. On the other hand, clinical studies have good external validity because they are tested on samples/ subjects that are closely related to the clinical condition and most often representative of all individuals with the condition; however they are more complex since so many other factors may influence the outcome of interest.

To understand validity, let us consider the research question on dentin bonding agents (DBA). In-vitro assessment of dentin bonding agents is usually measured in terms of bond strength and microleakage. In this scenario, all the samples and procedures are standardized to a specific methodology, that is, dentin cylinders 5 mm in height, with 4 mm of composite material, × N force at 0.5 cross-head speed, and so on. The bond strength values obtained can be best extrapolated to a similar set of conditions in the laboratory and may not deliver the same performance clinically to patients. On the contrary, if we conduct a clinical study to evaluate the performance of dentin bonding agents, the methodology would include a randomized controlled trial involving the restoration of non-carious cervical lesions ((NCCL), considered the ideal for bonding agent testing), the clinical evaluation criteria recommended by the United States Public Health System (USPHS), and followed over a period of time. The results of the study can be extrapolated to all similar patients requiring restoration of NCCLs. Hence, the valid method of testing the ultimate performance of DBA is by a clinical trial and not just bond strength testing. However, in-vitro studies provide an insight into which DBA is the best among the available, to be tested clinically. In-vitro studies provide internal validity , that is, they tell us if a particular drug or procedure works, but external validity questions if it is of use to the patient population at large, which can only be determined by clinical trials on patients.

Feasibility in terms of time, cost, samples, and infrastructure are vital to set a logistic time frame for the functioning and completion of the study. Finally, a study that does not adhere to ethical principles both for in-vitro and clinical designs, fails to answer clinically relevant questions. The principles of ethics are not restricted only to the handling of human participants, but also encompass the ethics followed in the methodology and reporting of results. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has comprehensive guidelines for conducting experimental studies in India.[ 3 ]

Clinical epidemiology

The term Epidemiology refers to the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including disease), and the application of these methods to the control of diseases and other health problems.[ 4 ] Erroneously in India, this science is often dissociated from dental clinical research and is regarded to be a practice under community dentistry. Hence research methods described under epidemiology have also not been used in answering many of our clinical research questions. David Sackett, in 1969, coined the term clinical epidemiology, which is the, “application, by a physician who provides direct patient care, of epidemiological and biometric methods, to the study of diagnostic and therapeutic processes, in order to effect an improvement in health.”[ 5 ] This concept identifies the clinician as the epidemiologist, which chiefly includes practitioners (general/specialist), students, and academicians, who are constantly involved in patient care. Almost four decades since this concept was introduced, our fraternity is waking up to this approach. It is important to note that knowledge of the disease process and treatment protocols constitute clinical knowledge. This forms only one essential part of clinical epidemiology. In order to understand the involvement of clinicians in clinical research, we need to be aware of certain disease manifestations in the community, with regard to the magnitude of the problem and measures to deliver dentalcare.

Consider this question being asked by the Head of Department of an institution, “What is the best endodontic regime for patients being treated in my department?” Traditionally, this question would be answered by schools of thought, textbook evidence, and findings reported in peer-reviewed literature. In reality, this simple question has the ability to raise meaningful research questions if we could apply this to the measurement iterative loop proposed by Tugwell et al .[ 6 ] [ Figure 1 ]. The measurement iterative loop breaks up the disease cycle into distinct component steps. It is iterative because, each step logically leads to the next, and thus comes back to the first step thus ‘closing’ the loop. Each step in the loop has the capacity to generate several research questions.

The measurement iterative loop

In this loop, the first step is to ascertain the burden of illness. The burden of illness (e.g., patients requiring root canal treatment) could be measured among the patients seeking dental care in the hospital or in a defined population. The former will provide an answer to the rate of occurrence of endodontic disease and the latter addresses the prevalence of endodontic disease, both of which would vary with place and time. The burden of illness could be subdivided into: (a) Unavoidable and (b) avoidable. Avoidable burden of illness comprises of disability, symptoms, and morbidity, for which efficacious caries preventive and intervention methods are present. The unavoidable burden of illness of disability comprises of symptoms and morbidity for which no efficacious prevention or cure exists. Eg if the tooth has been lost then root canal treatment is not possible.The focus on research in this area should be an effort to transfer the burden from unavoidable to avoidable.

Second is to identify and assess the possible cause of the burden of disease. The etiology and risk-factor assessment of a multifactorial disease like pulpal and periapical pathology in itself generates a lot of research avenues. This step also makes use of several traditional study designs to derive clinically significant conclusions. This step identifies the factors against which an intervention can reduce the burden of illness, for example, failure of primary endodontic treatment. To name a few obvious causes, inadequate cleaning and shaping, missed canals, and incomplete obturation. The risk factors in association to this failure could be: Vitality status of the pulp during initial endodontic treatment, amount of remaining tooth structure, and type of tooth.

Defining factors for causation also requires that there should be well-defined, specific, and reproducible definitions for both the disease state and the risk factors. Developing such criteria for defining disease and causative or risk factors contribute to increased diagnostic accuracy .

The third step of the loop is the most significant. Having identified the ‘intervenable’ factors, it is important to study if interventions against them will work. After identifying interventions, in vitro studies are carried out when necessary, and then the successful interventions are tried on humans. The initial trials should be to determine Efficacy . This means that it should be determined whether the intervention works if given in the right dose using the right methods, for the right duration, that is, Can it work in ideal circumstances ?

Once this is achieved, the intervention (preventive and restorative) methods are applied to the community, that is, patients seeking treatment for failed endodontic treatment or among the general population at a risk of developing failure of primary endodontic treatment. This step is Community effectiveness, which measures how well an intervention can work in real life . It assesses the benefit/harm ratio of potentially feasible interventions and estimates the reduction of burden of illness, if the program is successful. Community effectiveness is determined by five factors: (a) Efficacy , (b) Screening and diagnostic accuracy, (c) Evaluation of health care provider compliance, (d) Evaluation of patient compliance , and (e) Evaluation of coverage . To understand this better let us consider the question of treating symptomatic irreversible pulpitis with Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) pulpotomy in Department of Endodontics at a dental college and give hypothetical percentages of success for each factor and compute the community effectiveness.

• Efficacy: Will the current treatment do more good than harm in treating patients who are diagnosed correctly and fully comply with recommendations for treatment?(100%)
• Screening and diagnostic accuracy: Does the department have adequate diagnostic methods to identify patients with irreversible pulpitis and ensure methods to follow-up the disease/recovery status? (90%)
• Evaluation of health provider compliance: Is a postgraduate student competent enough to perform MTA pulpotomy? (80%)
• Evaluation of patient compliance: Will the patient comply with the treatment and follow-up for MTA pulpotomy compared to conventional endodontic treatment? As there are chances that postoperative pain with MTA pulpotomy could be a possibility, the patient suffering from this complication can resort to another dentist for relief. (80%)
• Evaluation of coverage: Is the treatment available to all potential patients who could benefit from the new method? Is there access to a dental college or knowledge of the treatment? (90%)

Now community effectiveness can be computed using the Multiplicative law of combining probabilities (P),[ 7 ] considering the probability of each of these factors

Community Effectiveness = P (Efficacy 100% × diagnostic accuracy 90% × health provider compliance 80% × patient compliance 80% × coverage 90%) = 52%

After determining an effective treatment plan for the community/patients, the efficiency of the same needs to be evaluated. This step determines the relationships between costs and effects of options within and across the program. Cost could be a major deterrent in MTA pulpotomy. This could propel ingenious preparations to match commercially available MTA, or allocate funds to deliver this treatment to indicated patients. This is followed by the synthesis and implementation of MTA pulpotomy as a standard of care for indicated patients with irreversible pulpitis. This is done after integration of the feasibility of community effectiveness and efficiency. Any program implemented needs to be followed up with systematic documentation and monitoring. It should include markers for success and failure on the basis short-term, intermediate, and long-term treatment outcomes.

With success data in hand, the burden of illness should again be re-assessed, to ascertain any modifications required within the existing program.

Era of evidence-based dentistry

Evidence-based practice is defined as, “the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of evidence-based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research.”[ 8 ] Individual clinical expertise is the proficiency and clinical judgment that is often a summation of clinical experience and clinical practice. This systematic clinical research in our field includes both in-vitro and clinical research, with equal importance. The sensible transition to clinical research by making use of the conclusions of in-vitro research will contribute evidence to various steps of the measurement iterative loop. It is often observed that the thrust for clinical research is feeble and as a result there is insufficient evidence from laboratory research translating to clinical practice. The ideal place to enable contribution to the best clinical evidence would undoubtedly be the institutional organization, which has the balance between clinical expertise from the teachers end and the requirement for research projects from the students’ end. The only missing link is a properly planned research , which can be fullfilled by employing the measurement iterativeloop.

The awareness of evidence-based dentistry is growing not only on the research/clinical front, but also from patients seeking quality dental care. Hence, the possibility of a research study being acknowledged in scientific literature is often driven by the relevance of evidence that a particular research study can deliver. There is a certain hierarchy termed as ‘Levels of Evidence,’ purely based on the reliability of information or from evidence derived from a scientific study,.[ 9 ]

There are five levels, and each level has sub-ranks as shown in Figure 2 .[ 7 ]

Levels of evidence

• Meta-Analysis
• Systematic review (SR) of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT)
• Randomized Controlled Trials
• Systematic review of Cohort Studies
• Cohort Studies/Poor quality RCT
• Systematic review of Case-Control Studies
• Case-Control Studies
• In-vitro Studies

Case Series/Cross-sectional studies/Poor quality case control studies

Case Reports/Expert opinion/Literature review.

It must be noted, with caution, that the level of evidence is only a stratification based on the information that is obtained from each method, with minimal bias, and these levels in no way rank the study design. It is logical to perceive that study designs are chosen based on research questions. For example, even though Randomized Clinical Trials provide the best evidence, this study design is not meant to identify risk factors for occurrence of disease (determined by case-control study) or disease occurrence/prognosis (determined by Cohort study). Hence, levels of evidence are a logical ranking for evidence rather than a ranking for study designs.

What is your research question?

With the understanding of the measurement iterative loop and the significance to generate relevant evidence for clinical practice, the research question should aim at focusing on one primary issue at a time. The method to identify and prioritize research questions is given in Figure 3 .

Method used to identify and prioritize research questions

A well-built research question should include four parts, referred to as the PICO format, which includes Patient/Population/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO).[ 10 ]

Patient/population/problem — Defines the condition of interest. This is usually derived from the patients’ chief complaint in a clinical situation (in particular or on a larger population) or is derived from the problem faced in a particular material research.

Intervention [ or ‘ exposure ’- making it PECO for causation questions ]— It is important to identify what has been planned for the patient or the problem . Depending on the problem, this may include the use of a specific diagnostic test, treatment, medication or the recommendation to the patient, to use a product or procedure. If the problem measures the causation of a particular disease, then the etiological agent is assumed as the intervention.

Comparison — It is an alternative to the intervention under study.

Outcome(s) — This pertains to the result of the study preferably outcomes that can be measured accurately that are important to the patient.

The PICO format can be used to generate a research question for determining the causation of disease, diagnosis of a disease or therapy and prognosis of particular condition/disease. Examples for each are given in Table 2 .

Use of PICO format to generate research questions

Although the PICO format is best applied to intervention studies and experimental designs, research questions for all other study designs can also be formulated using this approach.

Role of study designs

Both in-vitro and clinical study designs for various questions arising from clinical practice or knowledge can be determined by applying various sections of the iterative loop. Depending on the research question, the structure of each study design facilitates the derivation of appropriate answers. Prior to choosing the study design, there has to be a valid research question. The genesis of a research question should primarily focus on answering several aspects of a broader research interest. For example, if the research interest lies in stem cell research, then the best source of stem cells, ideal growth environment for stem cells, potential differentiation of stem cells into tissues, confluence of growth obtained by different processing methods, clinical application of laboratory-derived stem cells, storage of stem cells, potential for malignant transformation of stem cells, and so on, form the several aspects or avenues to generate research questions. The primary effort in research is not to focus on the research question, but to focus on your research interest . on study designs and its relevance in answering specific research question will be dealt with in detail in the subsequent articles of this review series on research methodology.

Role of biostatistics

The Role of Biostatistics is often overlooked and ignored in the current research work in our speciality. Biological systems form a dynamic continuum and variation between the units forming the biological systems (people, teeth, bacteria, etc.) is the norm. On account of this variability within the systems, it is often difficult to differentiate between groups within the system. The science of biostatistics helps us to quantify and evaluate its variability within and between groups that make up the biological systems. Statistics is not absolute; it is a measure of the probabilities of occurrence of an event.

Biostatistics is less mathematics and more a method of determining the relevance of the research findings by application of statistical methods. This retains equal importance in both in-vitro as well as clinical research, because this statistical inference lays a foundation for the evidence deduced from any study. Hence the role of the statistician and the clinical researcher are equivalent in finding answers to any research question. The next part on research methodology focuses on understanding biostatics for dental research.

The research processes both in-vitro and clinical studies can be best summarized by the flow chart in Figure 4 .

Anatomy of a research study

The need for good research is to find the best evidence for clinical practice, for specific problems, and to address methods in reducing the burden of illness on a larger scale. Research studies in Endodontic and Restorative dentistry are two dimensional. The first dimension is the laboratory research, which provides the best evidence on material science and the second dimension is clinical research, which provides the best evidence in dealing with the burden of illness, with efficient clinical practice. This increases the avenues for research studies in several directions. With an increasing requirement to publish, articles with good clinical evidence stand a definite chance to find their place in scientific literature.[ 11 ]

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The author would like to thank Prof. Peter Tugwell, Professor of Medicine University of Ottawa, Canada, Prof. Emeritus. Vic Neufeld, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Canada and Prof. Manjula Datta, Retd Prof & Head of Epidemiology, The Tamilnadu MGR Medical university for having accepted to review the manuscript and for their valuable inputs in the preparation of the same and Chennai Dental Research Foundation, Chennai for their support.

Source of Support: Nil

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

• Areas of Research

Research Projects

Research within the School of Dental Medicine encompasses a wide variety of fields within oral health care, helping to translate basic science discoveries into clinical therapies. Use the links below to learn more about current and past projects of faculty, staff, and students. 

Search by Department

Search individual research projects and faculty areas of research interest by School of Dental Medicine Departments

Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences research focuses on how the body, particularly the mouth, fights diseases through innate immune responses. 

**We are currently updating these pages to refresh information. While we work, please visit the Biological Sciences Research and Sponsored Projects page to review our active projects.

Ge Jin, PhD

• Beta-defensins in Immunological Responses and Immunotherapy in Oncogenesis
• Innate Immunity and Oral Carcinogenesis

Pushpa Pandiyan, PhD

• Mechanism of Immunomodulation during Oropharyngeal Candidiasis
• Modulation of Tumor Necrosis-α during Oropharyngeal Candidiasis

Aaron Weinberg, DMD, PhD

• Oral Cancer and the Discovery of a Novel Biomarker
• Oral Cancer and the Discovery of a Novel Biomarker - Taiwan
• Fusobacterial-Associated Beta Defensin Inducer (FADI)
• Center for Excellence in Immunology

Fengchun Ye, PhD

• Role of Angiopoietin-2 in KSHV Induction of Angiogenesis, Inflammation, and Cutaneous KS Lesions
• Epigenetic Regulation of Viral Infection and Replication by Periodontal Bacteria

Chad Zender, MD, FACS

• Comprehensive Head and Neck Database 

Community Dentistry

Community Dentistry research focuses on the protection and improvement of oral health in patients and community at-large. 

**We are currently updating these pages to refresh information. While we work, please visit the Community Dentistry Research and Sponsored Projects page to review our active projects.

Catherine Demko

• MEDTAPP Healthcare Access Initiative
• Sisters of Charity of Canton Evaluation Project

James Lalumandier, DDS, MPH

• Geriatric Dentistry Mobile Unit Program
• Healthy Smiles Sealant Program

Sena Narendran, PhD

• Post-doctoral Training in General, Pediatric, and Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene
• Pre-doctoral Training in General, Pediatric, and Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene

Suchitra Nelson, PhD

• Family Intervention with Caregivers of Children with Urgent Dental Needs
• Longitudinal Studies of Dental Caries in Very Low Birthweight Children

Mary Beth Slusar, PhD

• Caregiver Illness Perception and Child's Early Childhood Caries Status

Kristin Victoroff

• Collaborative Home for Oral Health, Medical Review, and Health Promotion (CHOMP)

Kristin Williams

Comprehensive Care

• Correlation of Primary Implant Stability with Cone Beam Computed Tomography Analysis in a Bovine Mandibular Bone Model
• Image Guided New Biomaterials for Dental Restorations
• Optimization of Insertion Torque for Primary Dental Implant Stability

Endodontics

Anita Aminoshariae, DDS, MS

• Association of Endodontic Conditions with Systemic Medical Disease
• Effect of Time Factor in Crown Placement on Survival of Primary Endodontically Treated: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Thomas Montagnese, DDS

• Efficacy of Buprenorphine on Post-operative Endodontic Analgesia 

Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine + Diagnostic Sciences

Oral Medicine research focuses on orofacial pain, oral premalignant disorders, interprofessional education outcomes, and markers for response to treatment of mucosal disorders.

Andres Pinto, DMD, MPH

• Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) Case Registry
• Reliability of a Modified Brief Pain Inventory-Facial

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Dale Baur, DDS

• Patient-Centered Quality of Live (QOL) Measures after Temporomandibular Total Joint Replacement Surgery 
• Removal of Unerupted Third Molars at the Time of Mandibular Sagittal Split Osteotomy: Case Series 
• Treatment Outcomes of Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumor

Orthodontics

**We are currently updating these pages to refresh information. While we work, please visit the Orthodontics Research and Sponsored Projects page to review our active projects.

Mark Hans, DDS, MSD

• Craniofacial Initiatives in the School of Dental Medicine

J. Martin Palomo, DDS, MSD

Manish Valiathan, DDS, MSD

• Craniofacial Growth Prediction in Different Facial Types

Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric Dentistry research focuses on improving the care and treatment of pediatric oral health, including pediatric oral health disparities, craniofacial anomalies, and oral health behavior.

*We are currently updating these pages to refresh information. While we work, please visit the Pediatric Dentistry Research and Sponsored Projects page to review our active projects.Orthodontics

Gerald Ferretti, DDS, MS, MPH

Research Interests:

• Reducing children's oral health disparities
• Craniofacial anomalies
• Pediatric sedation

Masahiro Heima, DDS, PhD

• Dental care-related fear and anxiety
• Oral health care behavior

Lance Vernon, DMD, MPH

• Oral hygiene behavior
• Oral health care in HIV population
• Development of a Provider-Observed Tool to Assess Oral Hygiene Skills in HIV+ Adults
• Holistic, Prevention-Focused Assessment and Coaching of Targeted/Tailored Oral Hygiene Behaviors
• Immune and Inflammatory Consequences of Intensive Periodontal Disease Treatment in HIV+ Adults
• Oral Link to Vascular Disease in an HIV-1 Cohort

Periodontics

Nabil Bissada

• Gingival Dimension Around Natural Teeth and Dental Implants in Health and Disease
• Role of Nonsurgical Periodontal Treatment on the Level of Rheumatoid Factor in Patients Diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Andre Paes, DDS, PhD, MS

• Examination of Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Colonization with Trichomonas tenax and Entamoeba gingivalis

Leena Palomo, DMD, MSD

• Analysis of Postmenopausal Women Using Bisphosphonate Therapy
• Periodontitis in Postmenopausal Women

• Professionals
• Membership Benefits Overview
• Leadership Opportunities
• Dues Calculator
• Member Directory
• CE Smart Online Learning
• CE Smart Subscription
• ADHA Publications
• Become a Dental Hygienist
• Maintain Your Licensure
• Scholarships + Grants
• Professional Resources
• Student Resources
• National Board Review
• Professional Fellows Program
• Innovative Workforce Models
• Scope of Practice
• Advocacy Efforts
• License Portability
• ADHA24 Annual Conference
• Oral Cancer Awareness Month – April
• Student Proud Week ’24 Wrapped
• Philips|ADHA CE Seminars
• Heartland Dental Events
• National Children’s Dental Health Month – February
• ADHA Awards & Winners
• National Dental Hygiene Month – October
• ADHA Celebrates 100
• Hygienist Hub
• CE Smart Course Catalog
• IOH Foundation
• Journal of Dental Hygiene
• My CE Smart

Thank You for Visiting ADHA

This content is for adha members only., to continue reading, please log in to your member account or join us and return to the site for full access.

Join adha today!

Already a member?

ADHA Member login

Related Links

• About CE Smart by ADHA

Research is critically  important to achieving our mission to advance the art and science of dental hygiene. Facilitating the development of new clinical techniques, materials and treatments modalities, research also has an impact on access to care, education and public and private policies on oral health.

Both inside and outside of the research arena, it is important for practitioners to make decisions that are firmly grounded in knowledge obtained from research and clinical experiences. To help advance our profession, the National Dental Hygiene Research Agenda (NDHRA) identifies the following priority research areas:

• Health Promotion/Disease Prevention
• Health Services Research
• Professional Education and Development
• Clinical Dental Hygiene Care
• Occupational Health and Safety

View the National Dental Hygiene Research Agenda

Requests for Research and Research Support

The ADHA regularly conducts research studies on various important topics within or affecting the practice of dental hygiene and the ADHA membership. ADHA also receives many requests for research or research support. Please view the ADHA’s Policy on Requests for Research Support prior to soliciting support from ADHA for a research project. VIEW THE POLICY ON REQUESTS FOR RESEARCH SUPPORT

The Journal of Dental Hygiene

The Journal of Dental Hygiene (JDH) is the premier, peer-reviewed scientific research publication. In each issue, ADHA members will find articles to help them make evidence-based treatment decisions and so much more. The JDH’s Editorial Review Board (ERB) consists of nationally and internationally recognized content experts in the dental hygiene profession, as well experts from dentistry, physical therapy, nursing and public health. Published bi-monthly, archived articles are available for review, but only ADHA members and paid JDH subscribers have access to the last 12 months of JDH research and content.

Learn more about JDH

• Live CE Event – August 23, 2024
• Self-Study CE Courses
• Live Event CE Certificates
• Dental Quizzes
• Dental Hygiene

Dental Research

• Patient Care
• Life at Work
• Infection Control
• Students & New Grads
• Ask Kara RDH
• Curiosity Killed the Plaque
• Videos & Hygiene Chats
• Hygiene Chats: Kara & Emily
• Hygienist Spotlight
• Today’s RDH Honor Awards
• Submissions
• Aug. 23rd Live CE Event

• Featured posts
• Most popular
• 7 days popular
• By review score

Systematic Review Summarizes the Evidence on the Association Between Periodontitis and Dental Caries

Research Examines Dental Side Effects of Treatment in Childhood Cancer Survivors

Research Evaluates CBD as an Alternative Analgesic for Acute Dental Pain

Ancient Teeth Reveal Insights into Evolution of Oral Microbiomes

Research Examines the Association Between Severe Malocclusion and Daytime Sleepiness in Children

Chlorhexidine and Diabetes: Effects of Mouthwash on Periodontal Pathogens and HbA1c Levels

Researchers Identify New Phenotype and Inflammatory Responses Triggered by Oral Biofilm

Research Shows Association With Social Isolation and Accelerated Tooth Loss in Older Adults

Researchers Look at the Relationship of Molar Emergence and Evolutionary Life History

Research Examines the Association Between Heartburn Medication and Periodontal Disease Severity

Research Finds Potential Association Between Oral Bacteria and High Blood Pressure

Researchers Find the Mechanism Behind Potential Anticancer Properties in Lidocaine

Oral Microbiome and Diet: Researchers Analyze DNA From Ancient “Chewing Gum”

Researchers Use Saliva Analysis to Help Diagnose Pain in Patients with Dementia

Research Reveals an Association Between Primary Teeth Biorhythm and Adolescent Weight Gain

Research Explores How Dietary Choices Affect the Oral Microbiome in Postmenopausal Women

The Mystery of Tooth Enamel Defects: A New Autoimmune Disorder Discovered

Research Suggests Association with Oral Infections and Metabolic Profiles

Researchers Find that Viking Age Dentistry Was Probably More Sophisticated than Previously Thought

Research Using AI and 3D Imaging Unveils Unique Terrain of Individual Tongue Surfaces

Trending now.

Mouth Taping: Viral Fad or Evidence-Based Treatment for Mouth Breathing?

Caviar Tongue: Are Dental Hygiene Patients Displaying Signs of “Aging?”

Documentation 101: How to Write Thorough Dental Hygiene Progress Notes

• Dental Hygiene 601
• Patient Care 324
• Dental Research 273
• Hygiene Chats & Videos 143
• Life at Work 122
• Healthy Smiles, Healthy Practices 87
• Students & New Grads 56
• COVID-19 53
• Hygienist Spotlight 50

Most Recent

Ergonomics and Injury: A Hygienist’s Personal Experience on Its Lasting Effects

Bentonite Clay Oral Care Products: A Healthy Choice or Hidden Danger?

Motivational Interviewing: Listening to the Patient and Relying on Emotional Validation

Systematic Review Summarizes the Evidence on the Association Between Periodontitis and...

Don't miss.

New Genetic Mapping May Help Prevent Dental Caries

VIDEO: Hygiene Chat – Biofilm Beware: How to Choose & Use...

Handheld X-Ray Units: Are They Safe and Easy to Use?

5 Infection Control Strategies for the Well-Being of Your Patients

Articles on Dental hygiene

Displaying all articles.

Caring for older Americans’ teeth and gums is essential, but Medicare generally doesn’t cover that cost

Frank Scannapieco , University at Buffalo and Ira Lamster , Stony Brook University (The State University of New York)

No, it’s not just sugary food that’s responsible for poor oral health in America’s children, especially in Appalachia

Daniel W. McNeil , West Virginia University and Mary L. Marazita , University of Pittsburgh

How did people clean their teeth in the olden days?

Jane Cotter , Texas A&M University

Related Topics

• Curious Kids US
• Dental care
• Dental health
• Dental insurance
• History of medicine
• Oral health
• Periodontitis

Top contributors

SUNY Distinguished Professor of Oral Biology, University at Buffalo

Clinical Professor of Periodontics and Endodontics, Stony Brook University (The State University of New York)

Assistant Professor of Dental Hygiene, Texas A&M University

Director, Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics; Professor of Oral Biology and of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh

Eberly Distiniguished Professor Emeritus, Clinical Professor Emeritus of Dental Public Health & Professional Practice, West Virginia University

• X (Twitter)
• Unfollow topic Follow topic

• Appleton - North
• Fond du Lac
• Glendale - Bayshore
• Green Bay - Howard
• Milwaukee - Beerline B
• Milwaukee - Downtown
• Milwaukee - Miller Park Way
• Patient Resources
• Pay My Bill
• Patient Login
• About Dental Associates

Dental Topics

• Find a Dentist
• Dentist Reviews
• General Dentistry
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Braces & Orthodontics
• Invisalign®
• Cosmetic Dentistry
• Oral Surgery
• Dental Implants
• Dentures & Partial Dentures
• Periodontics
• Endodontics & Root Canals
• Dental Insurance We Accept
• Dental Financing
• We're Hiring!
• Appleton (920) 730-0345
• Appleton - North (920) 734-2345
• Fond du Lac (920) 924-9090
• Franklin (414) 435-0787
• Glendale - Bayshore (414) 539-5600
• Green Bay (920) 431-0345
• Green Bay - Howard (920) 965-5525
• Greenville (920) 757-0100
• Kenosha (262) 942-7000
• Milwaukee - Beerline B (414) 435-5850
• Milwaukee - Downtown (414) 778-3600
• Milwaukee - Miller Park (414) 645-4540
• Sturtevant (262) 884-3011
• Waukesha (262) 436-3363
• Wauwatosa (414) 771-2345

A Dental Education Resource for You and Your Family

The following is a comprehensive list of dental definitions, dental conditions, dental topics, and general dental information to help you learn the importance of good oral health. Dental Associates offers every dental specialty, so it’s likely we have experience with anything listed on this page. You can also visit Our Services to learn more about the full range of dental services we provide you and your entire family.

Browse Dental Conditions & Topics

Scroll down the page to see an alphabetized list of dental topics, or click a letter below to jump down the page.

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings
• My Bibliography
• Collections
• Citation manager

Save citation to file

Email citation, add to collections.

• Create a new collection
• Add to an existing collection

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search, create a file for external citation management software, your rss feed.

• Search in PubMed
• Search in NLM Catalog
• Add to Search

Mapping the evolving trend of research on Class III malocclusion: a bibliometric analysis

Affiliations.

• 1 State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, 14 Renmin South Road Third Section, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People's Republic of China.
• 2 State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, 14 Renmin South Road Third Section, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
• 3 State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, 14 Renmin South Road Third Section, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
• PMID: 38976020
• DOI: 10.1007/s00784-024-05811-2

Objectives: This study aimed to provide visualized knowledge maps to show the evolving trends and key focal points of Class III malocclusion research through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis.

Materials and methods: Class III malocclusion research published between 2000 and 2023 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer was utilized to count the citation and publication number of authors, institutions, countries and journals. Co-occurrence, co-citation, and cluster analyses and burst detection were conducted using CiteSpace.

Results: A total of 3,682 publications on Class III malocclusion were included in the bibliometric analysis. During 2000-2023, both the annual publication count and citation frequency exhibited a gradual upward trajectory, with a noticeable surge in recent years. In terms of production and citation counts of Class III malocclusion research, the core journal is the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. Furthermore, apart from the primary keyword 'Class III malocclusion', 'orthognathic surgery' was identified as keyword with the most frequency. The cluster analysis of cited references reveals that the research focal points have shifted to 'skeletal anchorage' and 'surgery-first approach'. Furthermore, the burst detection identified 'quality of life' as a potential research hotspot since it has recently gained increasing scholarly attention.

Conclusions: The current study provides scholars with the knowledge maps of evolving trends and prominent topics of Class III malocclusion research and a summary of research progress on various priorities during different periods. These findings are expected to provide a valuable guidance to facilitate the future research on Class III malocclusion.

Keywords: Bibliometrics; Class III malocclusion; Orthodontics.

© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

PubMed Disclaimer

• Ngan P, Moon W (2015) Evolution of Class III treatment in orthodontics. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop 148:22–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajodo.2015.04.012 - DOI
• Hardy DK, Cubas YP, Orellana MF (2012) Prevalence of angle class III malocclusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Open J Epidemiol 2:75–82 - DOI
• Ma H, Shu J, Wang Q, Teng H, Liu Z (2020) Effect of sagittal split ramus osteotomy on stress distribution of temporomandibular joints in patients with mandibular prognathism under symmetric occlusions. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin 23:1297–1305. https://doi.org/10.1080/10255842.2020.1796984 - DOI
• Havakeshian G, Koretsi V, Eliades T, Papageorgiou SN (2020) Effect of Orthopedic Treatment for Class III Malocclusion on Upper Airways: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. J Clin Med 9:3015. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9093015 - DOI - PMC
• Galeotti A, Festa P, Viarani V, D’Antò V, Sitzia E, Piga S et al (2018) Prevalence of malocclusion in children with obstructive sleep apnoea. Orthod Craniofac Res 21:242–247. https://doi.org/10.1111/ocr.12242 - DOI

Publication types

• Search in MeSH

Grants and funding

• 82271019, 81970967/National Natural Science Foundation of China
• 21ZD003/Sichuan Health Commission Medical Science and Technology Program
• RD-03-202101/Research and Develop Program, West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University

LinkOut - more resources

Full text sources.

• Citation Manager

NCBI Literature Resources

MeSH PMC Bookshelf Disclaimer

The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• Other journals in brief
• Published: 26 July 2019

Which dental research topics are relevant to patients?

• Paul Hellyer 1  

British Dental Journal volume  227 ,  page 113 ( 2019 ) Cite this article

239 Accesses

Metrics details

You have full access to this article via your institution.

Kakudate N, Yokoyama Y, Sumida F et al. Practice-based research agendas priorities selected by patients: findings from a practice-based research network. Int Dent J 2019; 69: 183−191.

Study shows priorities differ with age and gender.

'Public involvement in research is defined as research that is done with or by the public and not to, about or for them' (Involve www.invo.org.uk ) and many grant funders now require evidence of public and patient involvement in research projects. The research agenda, however, may still be being set by academics and not by patients. Relatively little research is based in general practice.

Using a questionnaire with patients in 11 dental clinics in Japan, Kakudate and colleagues have attempted to find out which research topics would be important and relevant to patients. Involving patients 'may provide opportunities to produce research which is valid, relevant, acceptable, sustainable and innovative.'

Following a pilot study, a 31 item questionnaire, divided into 11 categories was developed (orthodontic treatment, regular dental check ups, prognosis of dental treatment, dental implants, tooth brushing, diet and food, aesthetic dental care, topical fluoride application, social health insurance, bruxism and miscellaneous) and was completed by 482 patients (87.6% response rate).

The most commonly selected research agenda was 'age specific care to maintain oral health' (n = 84), followed closely by topics related to toothpastes and brushing, the durability of restorations and questions relating to diet, caries and periodontal disease. The least popular topic related to the use of interdental cleaning aids. In patients <40, selection of toothpaste was the most popular topic. Only responders <30 listed the timing of wisdom teeth extractions and orthodontic as topics. Only those aged >60 listed the durability of restorations in relation to treatment available under the national health insurance scheme.

Statistically significant age and gender differences were noted. Younger patients rated orthodontic treatment, aesthetic dental care and fluoride applications more frequently than older patients. Older patients rated regular dental check ups, implants, diet and health insurance as more interesting than younger ones. Females rated aesthetics as more important than did males, who rated toothbrushing as more interesting than did females.

Responses may be different from within a different culture. However, these results clearly show that different age groups have differing priorities with regard to research priorities. If research is to be patient centred and relevant, then shaping research questions around actual patients' concerns, needs and values assumes greater importance. These results may 'help research funders identify future priorities that have the greatest impact on patients and the clinicians who treat them.'

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Honorary Teaching Fellow, University of Portsmouth Dental Academy, Portsmouth, UK

Paul Hellyer

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Hellyer, P. Which dental research topics are relevant to patients?. Br Dent J 227 , 113 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-019-0567-1

Download citation

Published : 26 July 2019

Issue Date : July 2019

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-019-0567-1

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Suggestions or feedback?

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Machine learning
• Social justice
• Black holes
• Classes and programs

Departments

• Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Brain and Cognitive Sciences
• Architecture
• Political Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Centers, Labs, & Programs

• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
• Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
• Lincoln Laboratory
• School of Architecture + Planning
• School of Engineering
• School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• Sloan School of Management
• School of Science
• MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

MIT researchers introduce generative AI for databases

Press contact :, media download.

*Terms of Use:

Images for download on the MIT News office website are made available to non-commercial entities, press and the general public under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives license . You may not alter the images provided, other than to crop them to size. A credit line must be used when reproducing images; if one is not provided below, credit the images to "MIT."

Previous image Next image

A new tool makes it easier for database users to perform complicated statistical analyses of tabular data without the need to know what is going on behind the scenes.

GenSQL, a generative AI system for databases, could help users make predictions, detect anomalies, guess missing values, fix errors, or generate synthetic data with just a few keystrokes.

For instance, if the system were used to analyze medical data from a patient who has always had high blood pressure, it could catch a blood pressure reading that is low for that particular patient but would otherwise be in the normal range.

GenSQL automatically integrates a tabular dataset and a generative probabilistic AI model, which can account for uncertainty and adjust their decision-making based on new data.

Moreover, GenSQL can be used to produce and analyze synthetic data that mimic the real data in a database. This could be especially useful in situations where sensitive data cannot be shared, such as patient health records, or when real data are sparse.

This new tool is built on top of SQL, a programming language for database creation and manipulation that was introduced in the late 1970s and is used by millions of developers worldwide.

“Historically, SQL taught the business world what a computer could do. They didn’t have to write custom programs, they just had to ask questions of a database in high-level language. We think that, when we move from just querying data to asking questions of models and data, we are going to need an analogous language that teaches people the coherent questions you can ask a computer that has a probabilistic model of the data,” says Vikash Mansinghka ’05, MEng ’09, PhD ’09, senior author of a paper introducing GenSQL and a principal research scientist and leader of the Probabilistic Computing Project in the MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

When the researchers compared GenSQL to popular, AI-based approaches for data analysis, they found that it was not only faster but also produced more accurate results. Importantly, the probabilistic models used by GenSQL are explainable, so users can read and edit them.

“Looking at the data and trying to find some meaningful patterns by just using some simple statistical rules might miss important interactions. You really want to capture the correlations and the dependencies of the variables, which can be quite complicated, in a model. With GenSQL, we want to enable a large set of users to query their data and their model without having to know all the details,” adds lead author Mathieu Huot, a research scientist in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and member of the Probabilistic Computing Project.

They are joined on the paper by Matin Ghavami and Alexander Lew, MIT graduate students; Cameron Freer, a research scientist; Ulrich Schaechtle and Zane Shelby of Digital Garage; Martin Rinard, an MIT professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and member of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL); and Feras Saad ’15, MEng ’16, PhD ’22, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University. The research was recently presented at the ACM Conference on Programming Language Design and Implementation.

Combining models and databases

SQL, which stands for structured query language, is a programming language for storing and manipulating information in a database. In SQL, people can ask questions about data using keywords, such as by summing, filtering, or grouping database records.

However, querying a model can provide deeper insights, since models can capture what data imply for an individual. For instance, a female developer who wonders if she is underpaid is likely more interested in what salary data mean for her individually than in trends from database records.

The researchers noticed that SQL didn’t provide an effective way to incorporate probabilistic AI models, but at the same time, approaches that use probabilistic models to make inferences didn’t support complex database queries.

They built GenSQL to fill this gap, enabling someone to query both a dataset and a probabilistic model using a straightforward yet powerful formal programming language.

A GenSQL user uploads their data and probabilistic model, which the system automatically integrates. Then, she can run queries on data that also get input from the probabilistic model running behind the scenes. This not only enables more complex queries but can also provide more accurate answers.

For instance, a query in GenSQL might be something like, “How likely is it that a developer from Seattle knows the programming language Rust?” Just looking at a correlation between columns in a database might miss subtle dependencies. Incorporating a probabilistic model can capture more complex interactions.   

Plus, the probabilistic models GenSQL utilizes are auditable, so people can see which data the model uses for decision-making. In addition, these models provide measures of calibrated uncertainty along with each answer.

For instance, with this calibrated uncertainty, if one queries the model for predicted outcomes of different cancer treatments for a patient from a minority group that is underrepresented in the dataset, GenSQL would tell the user that it is uncertain, and how uncertain it is, rather than overconfidently advocating for the wrong treatment.

Faster and more accurate results

To evaluate GenSQL, the researchers compared their system to popular baseline methods that use neural networks. GenSQL was between 1.7 and 6.8 times faster than these approaches, executing most queries in a few milliseconds while providing more accurate results.

They also applied GenSQL in two case studies: one in which the system identified mislabeled clinical trial data and the other in which it generated accurate synthetic data that captured complex relationships in genomics.

Next, the researchers want to apply GenSQL more broadly to conduct largescale modeling of human populations. With GenSQL, they can generate synthetic data to draw inferences about things like health and salary while controlling what information is used in the analysis.

They also want to make GenSQL easier to use and more powerful by adding new optimizations and automation to the system. In the long run, the researchers want to enable users to make natural language queries in GenSQL. Their goal is to eventually develop a ChatGPT-like AI expert one could talk to about any database, which grounds its answers using GenSQL queries.   

This research is funded, in part, by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Google, and the Siegel Family Foundation.

Share this news article on:

Related links.

• Vikash Mansinghka
• Martin Rinard
• Probabilistic Computing Project
• Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
• Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
• Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Related Topics

• Computer science and technology
• Programming
• Artificial intelligence
• Programming languages
• Brain and cognitive sciences
• Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)
• Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (eecs)
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

Related Articles

Probabilistic AI that knows how well it’s working

Automating the math for decision-making under uncertainty

Estimating the informativeness of data

Exact symbolic artificial intelligence for faster, better assessment of AI fairness

Previous item Next item

More MIT News

Study finds health risks in switching ships from diesel to ammonia fuel

Read full story →

Making meaningful climate change through novel technologies

Empowering future innovators through a social impact lens

Researchers study differences in attitudes toward Covid-19 vaccines between women and men in Africa

A new way to miniaturize cell production for cancer treatment

Investigating the past to see technology’s future

• More news on MIT News homepage →

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

• Map (opens in new window)
• Events (opens in new window)
• People (opens in new window)
• Careers (opens in new window)
• Accessibility
• Social Media Hub
• MIT on Facebook
• MIT on YouTube
• MIT on Instagram

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

Research: New Hires’ Psychological Safety Erodes Quickly

• Derrick P. Bransby,
• Michaela J. Kerrissey,
• Amy C. Edmondson

And what leaders can do to protect it.

Across industries, from manufacturing to health care, the luxury of waiting years to benefit from new talent is long gone. Thriving in today’s dynamic economy means bringing new hires up the learning curve faster than ever. Yet, the authors’ latest research suggests one catalyst for learning is often lacking when it’s needed most: psychological safety. They show why newcomers are vulnerable to this loss and present strategies to help preserve their early willingness to speak up.

In October 2021, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian noted a significant shift in the airline’s workforce as it emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking to investors, he called it a juniority benefit . “Many of our most experienced employees have chosen to retire, and that’s opened up opportunities for younger people,” he said, framing the change as advantageous for the company. But juniority benefits were not without costs.

• DB Derrick P. Bransby is a doctoral student at Harvard Business School. His research explores the intersections of creativity, innovation, and learning in teams.
• Michaela J. Kerrissey is an assistant professor of management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
• Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School. Her latest book is Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well (Atria Books, 2023).

Partner Center

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

• Publications
• Our Methods
• Short Reads
• Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

• Most People in 35 Countries Say China Has a Large Impact on Their National Economy

1. Views of China and Xi Jinping

Table of contents.

• Overall favorability of China
• Confidence in Xi
• How much influence do people think China has on their country’s economy?
• Do people think China’s economic influence is positive or negative?
• Views of Chinese firms operating abroad
• Concerns about China’s territorial disputes with its neighbors
• Evaluations of China’s contributions to global peace and stability
• Acknowledgments
• About Pew Research Center’s Spring 2024 Global Attitudes Survey
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology

Across the 35 countries we surveyed, more have unfavorable views of China than favorable ones. The same is true when it comes to Chinese President Xi Jinping: People mostly lack confidence in him to do the right thing regarding world affairs.

But opinions vary widely across regions and across levels of economic development. For example, in the high-income European countries included in the survey, views of China and Xi tend to be broadly negative, while in middle-income nations in sub-Saharan Africa, views are significantly more positive.

Views tend to be among the most and least positive in the Asia-Pacific region – more positive in middle-income countries like Malaysia and Thailand, and more negative in high-income ones like Australia, Japan and South Korea.

A 35-country median of 35% have a favorable view of China, compared with a median of 52% who have a negative view. Opinions vary widely, from 11% favorable in Sweden to 80% favorable in Thailand.

In the 18 high-income countries we polled, views of China are, on balance, negative. There are three notable exceptions where opinion of China is either divided or net positive: Chile, Greece and Singapore. Among Singaporeans, those who are ethnically Chinese are particularly favorable (71%). A majority of Singaporeans who are not ethnically Chinese also see China favorably (59%).

In the 17 middle-income countries we polled, views of China are much rosier. Though three countries stand out for having more negative than positive views: India, the Philippines and Turkey.

Views of China over time

Views of China have turned slightly more positive since last year in Argentina, Canada and Greece (+7 percentage points each).

Over the same period, favorable views have decreased significantly in Israel (-15) and Hungary (-7).

The sharp decrease in favorability among Israelis follows a number of Chinese policy positions related to the Israel-Hamas war. China was an early proponent of a cease-fire in Gaza , and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused Israel of going “beyond the scope of self-defense” in the first days of the war. (The survey predated Xi’s calls for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in his May meetings with Arab leaders .)

Jewish Israelis (25%) have much less favorable views of China than Arab Israelis do (61%). Among Jewish Israelis, this reflects an 18-point decrease in favorability since last year; among Arab Israelis, the decrease was 7 points.

In Hungary, the survey followed China’s offer for a security pact between the two countries but occurred before Xi’s May visit to Budapest .

We also see significant shifts in opinion in some of the countries not surveyed since before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic :

• In the Philippines and Turkey, favorable views have fallen 6 and 11 percentage points, respectively, since 2019.
• In Chile, they’ve fallen 8 points since 2017.
• In Colombia, they’ve increased 12 points since 2017.

In Ghana, the share who are unsure or decline to answer the question has dropped significantly since 2017, and in turn, both positive (+11) and negative (+7) views of China have increased. The same has also happened in Tunisia since 2019: Positive views have increased 5 points (from 63% to 68%) and negative views have increased 9 points (from 16% to 25%) while the share who decline to answer decreased significantly.

Views by age

Younger people tend to have more favorable opinions of China than older people do. This has long been the case in the United States , and is also true in over half of the other countries surveyed.

Gaps are particularly large in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru and the United Kingdom, where those ages 18 to 34 are around 25 points more likely than those 50 and older to view China positively.

Only in Hungary and South Korea is the pattern reversed, with younger people feeling less favorably toward China.

Views by ideology

In most countries, views of China are not an ideological issue. But, in the U.S. and Israel, those who place themselves on the left of the ideological spectrum (“liberals” in the U.S.) have more favorable views than those on the right (“conservatives” in the U.S.).

In Bangladesh, Hungary, the Netherlands and Spain, those on the right tend to have more positive views on China than those on the left.

Few internationally have confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping. A 35-country median of 24% express at least a fair amount confidence in the leader, while 62% have little to no confidence. However, opinion varies widely across high- and middle-income countries (49% and 12% confidence at the median, respectively), as well as across regions.

Views are least positive in North America and Europe: Clear majorities in each country surveyed there have little or no confidence in Xi.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Xi gets some of his highest and lowest ratings. Positive ratings tend to be more common in middle-income countries than high-income countries. For example, roughly half or more in Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Thailand have at least a fair amount of confidence in Xi. Conversely, in Australia, Japan and South Korea, at least eight-in-ten lack confidence in him. Middle-income India, where more lack confidence in Xi, and high-income Singapore, where most have confidence in Xi, are two notable exceptions to this pattern.

Views of Xi are more positive than negative in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Kenya (64% vs. 33%) and Nigeria (59% vs. 30%). Notably, large shares in South Africa (33%) and Ghana (21%) refuse to answer or are unsure.

In the Middle East-North Africa region, views of Xi lean positive in Tunisia, but much smaller shares have confidence in him in Israel and Turkey. In Latin America, only around three-in-ten or fewer have confidence in Xi in every country surveyed.

Views of Xi over time

Among countries last surveyed in 2023, opinions of the Chinese leader have become slightly less positive in South Africa (-9) and Israel (-6) and slightly more positive in Argentina (+6) and Hungary (+7).

Confidence has also fallen slightly in two countries last surveyed in 2022: Malaysia (-7) and Singapore (-6).

And, in the Philippines, last surveyed in 2019, confidence has fallen 13 points, from 58% to 45%.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Fresh data delivery Saturday mornings

Sign up for The Briefing

Weekly updates on the world of news & information

• China Global Image
• Economic Conditions
• Global Economy & Trade
• Global Trade

More people view the U.S. positively than China across 35 surveyed countries

Globally, biden receives higher ratings than trump, americans remain critical of china, how people in hong kong view mainland china and their own identity, in east asia, many people see china’s power and influence as a major threat, most popular, report materials.

1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

• Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

© 2024 Pew Research Center