dr - University of Washington School of Dentistry

a
Real-World
Lab
Northwest PRECEDENT members do the research
fieldwork for evidence-based dentistry
cracks in teeth can pose a tough problem
for dentists: What’s the best course of action?
Do you treat them or just monitor them?
What are the indicators that help identify teeth at risk
for fracture? What signs point to cracks growing larger,
or cracked teeth becoming symptomatic with temperature
sensitivity or pain during biting?
Questions like these demand evidence-based answers
– and those are precisely the answers dentists
find through Northwest PRECEDENT.
Launched in 2005, the Practice-based Research Collaborative
in Evidence-based Dentistry has conducted
oral health research in practices throughout Idaho,
Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
Funding comes from grants by the National Institute
for Dental and Craniofacial Research. The funding
goes to the two schools that coordinate the research,
the UW School of Dentistry and Oregon Health &
Science University.
Dr. Timothy DeRouen, Executive Dean for Research
and Academic Affairs at the School of Dentistry, heads
the UW team as principal investigator. Dr. Joel Berg,
Professor and Lloyd and Kay Chapman Chair for Oral
Health of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, is
co-investigator.
Northwest PRECEDENT ensures that its study
topics reflect the concerns of practicing dentists. Topics
are determined by network members through online
polls, direct feedback at annual meetings and input by
phone and e-mail, and all studies are ultimately approved
by elected dentist members of the network’s Executive
Committee. The studies are then developed by trained
researchers at the UW and OHSU.
“Evidence-based dentistry is so very important,”
says Dr. George McIntyre (’78) of Seattle, a participating
PRECEDENT dentist. “Over the years I’ve practiced,
I’ve seen many things come and go. Evidence-
Northwest PRECEDENT members attend their 2009 annual meeting.
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