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Related Concept Videos

Blinding01:11

Blinding

Blinding is a commonly used method of not telling participants which treatment a subject is receiving. Blinding is a critical part of a randomized control trial or RCT. It reduces the bias that affects the results. In an RCT, blinding is used in the form of a placebo. A placebo effect occurs when untreated subjects falsely believe they have received the treatment and report improved symptoms. A placebo or a dummy treatment is administered to subjects to negate the bias caused by such an effect.
Randomized Experiments01:13

Randomized Experiments

The randomization process involves assigning study participants randomly to experimental or control groups based on their probability of being equally assigned. Randomization is meant to eliminate selection bias and balance known and unknown confounding factors so that the control group is similar to the treatment group as much as possible. A computer program and a random number generator can be used to assign participants to groups in a way that minimizes bias.
Simple randomization
Simple...
Group Design02:01

Group Design

The most basic experimental design involves two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The two groups are designed to be the same except for one difference— experimental manipulation. The experimental group gets the experimental manipulation—that is, the treatment or variable being tested—and the control group does not. Since experimental manipulation is the only difference between the experimental and control groups, we can be sure that any differences between the two are due to...
Cluster Sampling Method01:20

Cluster Sampling Method

Appropriate sampling methods ensure that samples are drawn without bias and accurately represent the population. Because measuring the entire population in a study is not practical, researchers use samples to represent the population of interest.
To choose a cluster sample, divide the population into clusters (groups) and then randomly select some of the clusters. All the members from these clusters are in the cluster sample. For example, if you randomly sample four departments from your...
Sampling Plans01:23

Sampling Plans

Sampling is a crucial step in analytical chemistry, allowing researchers to collect representative data from a large population. Common sampling methods include random, judgmental, systematic, stratified, and cluster sampling.
Random sampling is a method where each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample. It involves selecting individuals randomly, often using random number generators or lottery-type methods. For example, when analyzing the properties of a...
What is an Experiment?01:12

What is an Experiment?

An experiment is a planned activity carried out under controlled conditions. The purpose of an experiment is to investigate the relationship between two variables. When one variable causes change in another, we call the first variable the explanatory or independent variable. The affected variable is called the response or dependent variable. In a randomized experiment, the researcher manipulates values of the explanatory variable and measures the resulting changes in the response variable. The...

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Related Experiment Videos

A cluster-randomized controlled trial: fluoride varnish in school children.

K M Milsom1, A S Blinkhorn, T Walsh

  • 1The University of Manchester, School of Dentistry, Coupland 3 Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.

Journal of Dental Research
|September 17, 2011
PubMed
Summary

This study found that annual fluoride varnish applications did not significantly reduce cavities in children's first permanent molars over three years. The public health intervention showed no added benefit compared to no intervention for preventing dental caries.

Related Experiment Videos

Area of Science:

  • Dental Public Health
  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Preventive Dentistry

Background:

  • Dental caries remains a significant public health issue in children.
  • First permanent molars are highly susceptible to caries due to their eruption timing and anatomy.
  • Fluoride varnish is a common preventive measure, but its effectiveness as a widespread public health intervention requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of annual school-based fluoride varnish applications in preventing caries in the first permanent molars of 7- to 8-year-old children.
  • To test the hypothesis that nine applications of 22,600 ppm fluoride varnish over three years would reduce the decayed, missing, or filled surfaces (DFS) increment.

Main Methods:

  • A school-based, parallel cluster randomized controlled trial with a 36-month follow-up.
  • Primary schools were randomized into two groups: annual fluoride varnish application (3 times/year) or no intervention.
  • Outcomes were measured by blinded examiners assessing DFS increment in permanent molars; intention-to-treat analysis with random effects models was used.

Main Results:

  • The mean DFS increment was 0.65 (SD 2.15) in the fluoride varnish group and 0.67 (SD 2.10) in the control group.
  • No statistically significant difference in DFS increment was observed between the intervention and control groups.
  • The study did not demonstrate a significant preventive effect of fluoride varnish as a public health intervention for first permanent molars.

Conclusions:

  • Annual application of fluoride varnish in schools did not provide a statistically significant benefit in preventing caries in the first permanent molars.
  • The findings suggest that fluoride varnish, when implemented as a broad public health strategy in this manner, may not be effective for caries prevention in this age group.
  • Further research may be needed to explore optimal delivery methods or target populations for fluoride varnish interventions.