The benefits of evidence-based dentistry for the private dental office

Dentistry over the last 100 years has been characterized by improved approaches to education and practice. Parallel to trends in the field of medicine as a whole, dentistry is moving toward evidence-based practices. The goal of evidence-based dentistry is the assurance, through reference to high-quality evidence, that care provided is optimal for the patient and that treatment options are presented in a manner that allows for fully informed consent. As we transition toward broad-based use of evidence-based dentistry approaches in clinical practice, many dental offices will benefit from a better understanding of how evidence-based dentistry can improve patient outcomes. This article lists the likely benefits evidence-based dentistry can provide to patients, staff, and dentists when routinely adopted in daily practice.