Department of Advanced Oral Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Dentistry, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Doctor of Health Sciences, College of Graduate Health Studies, A.T. Still University, Kirksville, Missouri, USA.
Eur J Dent Educ. 2022 Aug;26(3):623-628. doi: 10.1111/eje.12739. Epub 2021 Dec 20.
This study aimed to assess senior dental students' knowledge and attitudes regarding evidence-based dentistry (EBD), their use of the current literature and considerations for patient preferences.
A modified Knowledge, Attitudes, Access, and Confidence Evaluation (KACE) survey was administered to collect data from senior dental students at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD). The chi-squared test was used to compare the correct response rates of each question in the knowledge of scientific evidence domain. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was conducted to examine correlations between students' knowledge of scientific evidence and their confidence in appraising the study qualities.
61 seniors (out of 130) answered all survey questions. Participants displayed an intermediate level of knowledge of EBD. Only 15% of participants correctly answered to the most appropriate design; the distribution of responses appeared significantly different amongst the questions in the basic knowledge section (chi-squared test, p < .0001). There was no or very weak correlation between students' knowledge of scientific evidence and their confidence in appraising study qualities (Spearman's ρ = 0-0.18). The participants highly valued the use of the current literature and patient preferences. However, their preferred sources of scientific evidence were the Internet excluding Cochrane reviews (60%) and colleagues (56%). Forty per cent of participants rarely or never used textbooks.
Whilst seniors felt confident in evaluating study qualities and implementing EBD in routine practice, their understanding of the study design was poor. Seniors' preferred sources of scientific evidence were non-peer-reviewed Internet sources and colleagues.
本研究旨在评估高年级牙科学学生对循证牙科（EBD）的知识和态度，他们对当前文献的使用情况以及对患者偏好的考虑。
对马里兰大学牙科学院（UMSOD）的高年级牙科学学生进行了一项经过修改的知识、态度、获取和信心评估（KACE）调查，以收集数据。使用卡方检验比较了知识领域中每个问题的正确回答率。进行斯皮尔曼等级相关系数检验，以检验学生对科学证据的了解与评估研究质量的信心之间的相关性。
61 名（130 名中的 61 名）高年级学生回答了所有调查问题。参与者对 EBD 的知识水平处于中等水平。只有 15%的参与者正确回答了最合适的设计；在基础知识部分的问题中，答案的分布明显不同（卡方检验，p<0.0001）。学生对科学证据的了解与他们评估研究质量的信心之间没有或仅有微弱的相关性（斯皮尔曼 ρ=0-0.18）。参与者高度重视使用当前文献和患者偏好。然而，他们首选的科学证据来源是互联网（不包括 Cochrane 综述）和同事（60%）。40%的参与者很少或从不使用教科书。
尽管高年级学生对评估研究质量和在常规实践中实施 EBD 感到有信心，但他们对研究设计的理解很差。高年级学生首选的科学证据来源是非同行评审的互联网资源和同事。
