Assessment of Caries Diagnosis & Caries Treatment

The purpose of this project was to identify methods that Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) dentist used to diagnose and treat caries lesions. The aims of the "Assessment of caries diagnosis and caries treatment" study were to: (1) quantify the percentages of DPBRN dentists who reported using selected methods for caries diagnosis; (2) quantify the percentage of DPBRN dentists who reported using a caries-risk assessment protocol of any variety; (3) quantify the percentages of DPBRN dentists who reported intervening surgically at carious states E1, E2, D1, D2, or D3; and (4) test the hypothesis that reported use of a caries-risk assessment protocol was associated with a higher likelihood of reporting use of a preventive program.

The aims were met by enrolling at least 200 DPBRN practitioner-investigators in the study, each of whom completed a 10-page questionnaire about caries diagnosis and treatment assessment. Findings from "Assessment of Caries diagnosis and caries treatment" study will be related to treatment that is actually delivered as determined in "Reasons for placing the first restoration on permanent tooth surfaces" study and "Reasons for replacement or repair of dental restorations" study. This group of three studies will lay a critical foundation for subsequent intervention studies designed to move the latest scientific advances about caries diagnosis and treatment into daily clinical practice.