Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 5, 2025
09:10
Precision of In Vivo Quantitative Tooth Wear Measurement Using Intra-Oral Scans
Published on: July 12, 2022
3.3K
Dental Research Waste in Design, Analysis, and Reporting: A Scoping Review
N Pandis1, P S Fleming2, C Katsaros1
1Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, School of Dental Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Journal of Dental Research
|October 15, 2020
Summary
Research waste is common in dental studies, with significant flaws found in study design, conduct, analysis, and reporting. Addressing this requires better research methods training and incentives.
Area of Science:
- Dental Research
- Biomedical Investigations
- Research Methodology
Background:
- Research waste, defined as the portion of research that, if modified, would yield greater knowledge or societal benefit, is a significant issue in biomedical research.
- Previous evidence indicates substantial research waste across various scientific fields, necessitating an assessment within dentistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a scoping review of empirical evaluations assessing the prevalence and impact of research waste in dental research.
- To identify limitations in the design, conduct, analysis, and reporting of dental studies.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was performed on PubMed using specific terms related to study design, conduct, analysis, and reporting in dentistry.
- Included studies were empirical evaluations of dental research, with no restrictions on publication year or language.
- Seventy-one publications were included in the review based on expert opinion after an initial retrieval of 1,807 publications.
Main Results:
- The review identified substantial deficiencies across all assessed areas: design, conduct, analysis, and reporting in dental research publications.
- While some improvements were noted over time, prevalent issues indicate ongoing research waste.
- The findings highlight the multifaceted nature of research waste in dentistry.
Conclusions:
- Dental research continues to exhibit significant waste due to limitations in study design, conduct, analysis, and reporting.
- Improving research quality requires a foundational understanding of optimal research practices.
- Implementing policies that promote appropriate training in research methods and aligned incentives is crucial to mitigate research waste.
