Value of the evidence-based consensus conference.

The purpose of this paper is to describe how the inherent strengths of an evidence-based (EB) workshop can be combined with the conventional wisdom generated by a group of experts participating in a consensus conference. A traditional consensus conference is an appropriate way to arrive at the best current way to do something if the knowledge base is insufficient to make a scientifically rigorous EB analysis of the clinical problem. The result is the best opinion of experts in the field. The EB approach is the application of a repeatable review process to an existing knowledge base that is relevant to a focused question of clinical importance. It is a powerful tool that can help dentists in clinical decision-making processes. A combination of the EB approach with a consensus conference provides the highest level of evaluation and the strongest level of evidence upon which to make clinical decisions. Application of any of these sources of information can be used in the development of healthcare standards. However, standards are complicated statements that blend current scientific knowledge and clinical judgment with cultural, societal, and economic issues. When healthcare standards are being developed or revised, it is important that all sources of information be considered and the target population and purposes of the standards be identified.