March 21, 2008
In 2005, the NIDCR awarded three seven-year grants to establish "practice-based" research networks. Their aim: Assemble teams of practicing dentists to investigate with greater scientific rigor "everyday" issues in the delivery of oral healthcare. The PRECEDENT network, based in the Pacific Northwest, is one of the NIDCR-supported networks. In the March issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association, several PRECEDENT organizers outline the one-day educational program that they have developed to introduce practitioners to the basics of clinical research. The article outlines the course's four modules, its assessment from participating dentists, and several conclusions that can be drawn from the program.