Research

11 • NHS UK Links with Knowledge Services

Background

DHSRU has been involved in translating knowledge into action by aiding the development of Evidence-Based Dentistry at both the UK and International levels working collaboratively with key partners.

Progress

Highlights include the continued collaboration with the Cochrane Oral Health Group and the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) to prioritise systematic reviews into areas where there are important gaps in the current evidence base. These efforts have resulted in funding being secured for national trials, clinical guidelines and review summaries for the profession and public.

The Cochrane Oral Health Group based in the School of Dentistry, University of Manchester is one of 51 review groups belonging to the Cochrane Collaboration, an international nonprofit and independent organisation providing up-to-date information about the effects of health care. Professor Clarkson, in her role as Joint Co-ordinating Editor with Professor Helen Worthington from the University of Manchester, has been involved in eliciting, disseminating and maintaining systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials in oral health. Many of the COHG reviews have been used in UK and international guidelines for evidence-based dental practice.

Cochrane Oral Health Group reviews are usually undertaken by clinicians with some limited methodological help from the editorial base. Once published each review needs regular updating (current Cochrane guidance is every two years). Due to increased commitments on clinicians’ time and more complex research methods being introduced centrally, the Cochrane Oral Health Group needs to fundamentally change the way that many of its reviews are conducted. The Group is unable to accept funding from industrial or pharmaceutical companies, so an alternative source of funding is required. Cochrane reviews have been utilised by almost all international dental organisations/specialties and it is imperative that this work continues.

The Cochrane Oral Health Group is therefore creating a Professional Global Alliance of national and international organisations working in the field of oral health to assist with the delivery of important/priority reviews in a timelier manner. The proposal is to generate collaborative funding to create an expert methodological and administrative team to lead the conduct of priority reviews with active consumer involvement.

The American Dental Association (ADA) has developed an Evidence Based Dentistry website for both professionals and public where critical summaries of systematic reviews are published. Cochrane Reviews are considered an important component of this. Professor Clarkson is an advisor to the ADA and is involved in the training of the Evidence- Based Dentistry Champions.

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Web pages from the Cochrane Oral Health Group and the ADA Centre for Evidence-Based Dentistry websites.

Impact Statement

DHSRU continues to make a major contribution to shaping Knowledge Services at the UK and International level by contributing methodological and content expertise to systematic reviews and guidance development.