Health services research, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, and Dental Practice.

Recent findings of research supported by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) confirm the need for additional health services research on the effectiveness and appropriateness of dental care, and the way in which dental care is provided and financed. This paper presents an overview of relevant AHCPR programs, gives examples of dental health services research supported by the Agency, and describes ways in which Fellows of the American College of Dentists could participate in the development and dissemination of health services research. New knowledge generated by dental health services research will be useful to dentists in meeting many of their professional obligations. Translating that knowledge into improved quality of care will depend directly upon the best collaborative efforts of dentists in all professional settings and may include collaboration with academic researchers. As leaders in the profession, Fellows of the American College of Dentists are regarded as instrumental in conveying the findings of health services research to their colleagues, stimulating critical review, and making recommendations to guide research in the future.