An updated and expanded version of the College’s research guidance is now available in print and as an e-book.
The original guidance, An introduction to research for primary dental care clinicians, is a series of nine papers, first published in 2010 in Primary Dental Care, the predecessor publication to the Primary Dental Journal. These introduce readers to the basic principles of research methodology, discuss the relevance of research to primary dental care, and provide an overview of the different stages in a research project, from asking a research question to finally writing up and disseminating the results. This is available on the College website, and is free of charge to all users (non-members will need to register for a free account for the College website if they do not already have one). Members are also able to access the papers in their original format via the PDJ Archive.
The guidance has now been updated with the publication of An Introduction to Clinical Research for Health and Social Care Professionals, which is edited by Ario Santini FCGDent and Professor Kenneth A Eaton FCGDent and includes contributions from Professor Igor Blum FCGDent, Roger Farbey MBE, Mark-Steven Howe FCGDent, Nicola R Palmer, Debbie Reed Assoc.FCGDent, Derek Richards FFGDP(UK)(Hon), Jeanie Suvan and Laura Wiles.
“Absolutely essential reading for those embarking on practice-based research, relevant to all team members, and a key text for undergraduates and postgraduates revising for assessments, where it is now standard to have questions around evidence-based practice and research methodology”
Primary Dental Journal
Expanded to over 300 pages, the new publication is made up of 18 chapters and three appendices:
- The need for practice-based research
- Evidence-based practice and critical appraisal of literature
- Asking a research question and literature searching
- Designing studies part 1: introduction and quantitative study design
- Designing studies part 2: randomised controlled trials
- Designing studies part 3: qualitative study design
- Designing studies part 4: systematic reviews
- Designing studies part 5: sampling
- Designing studies part 6: questionnaires
- Designing studies part 7: screening and diagnostic testing
- Designing studies part 8: prognosis, diagnosis, risk and prognostic study methods
- Writing a protocol
- Research ethics and obtaining ethics approval
- Obtaining funding
- Piloting the methods and project management
- Collecting and collating data
- Analysing data
- Writing up and disseminating the results
- Guidelines and checklists
- Glossary of terms with explanatory notes
- Apprenticeship scheme further details
It is available to purchase in print or as an e-book (ISBN: 978-1-6655-9751-7), and an abridged online version will be made available by the College in due course.
This article was updated in April 2023 following the publication of a review of An Introduction to Clinical Research for Health and Social Care Professionals in the Primary Dental Journal, vol. 12, no. 1. This is available for College members and PDJ subscribers to view in the PDJ Archive.