Translating clinical outcomes to patient value: an evidence-based treatment approach

This is a summary report from An Evidence-Based Treatment Approach: Successful Regenerative Outcomes, Task Force 4, Translating Clinical Outcomes to Patient Value. It represents recommendations for translating the clinical benefits of regenerative therapies to value that the patient can understand and accept. A review of the evidence on translating clinical outcomes to patient value was presented to the task force for discussion. Then outcome criteria established by other task forces on clinical applications of regenerative therapy were used to evaluate the evidence. Published literature related to many different areas, such as clinician-patient communication, patient behavior, the role of other dental professionals, and organization of the practice and its processes, was included in this review. Outcomes charts and decision-making trees were developed to provide a framework for the recommendations of the task force. The ultimate objectives of this task force were to help the practitioner to clearly perceive the benefits that regeneration can provide to patients and to help the clinician to present the facts in a manner that will increase patients' acceptance of the recommended treatment.