Forecasting progress in preventive dentistry.

Technological forecasting is a new discipline with research methodologies of its own. One of the methods is the delphi-experiment. Predictive experiments have been conducted in both medicine and pharmacology, but not yet in the field of dentistry and dental research. The first round of the present dental delphi-experiment was conducted in 1975 with the participation of an international panel consisting of 91 experts. The experts were requested to respond to six questions related to dental caries and six questions related to periodontal disease. Numerous forecasts concerning future developments or breakthroughs were given by the international panel. This report discusses the preliminary findings.