Randomized Clinical Trials in Pediatric Dentistry: Application of Evidence-Based Dentistry through the CONSORT Statement

In order to include appropriate informed decisions on dental therapeutic or preventive procedures in children, Pediatric Dentists should apply the fundamentals of “Evidence-Based Dentistry” (EBD). This oral health approach assists clinicians in understanding and applying the most relevant research published on evidence in the clinical setting when treating their patients. One of the crucial steps of EBD is to critically appraise and use the primary articles about therapy or prevention, namely, Randomized Clinical Trials (RCT), the study design that best addresses the questions related with these clinical areas. The aim of the present paper was to provide the basic concepts and an example of how to critically read and understand articles on RCT studies in Pediatric Dentistry employing the CONSORT statement, a process that involves assessing the reliability of results, risk of bias (internal validity), and applicability of reported clinical findings (external validity).

Randomized clinical trials; Pediatric dentistry; Evidence-based dentistry; CONSORT

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