Temporal search persistence, certainty, and source preference in dentistry: Results from the National Dental PBRN

Abstract

Objectives The primary goal of this paper was to investigate an old question in a new way: what are the search patterns that professionals demonstrate when faced with a specific knowledge gap? Methods We examine data from a cascading survey question design that captures details about searching for information to answer a self-nominated clinical question from 1027 dental professionals enrolled in the National Dental Practice Based Research Network. Descriptive and conditional logistical regression analysis techniques were used. Results 61% of professionals in our sample choose informal sources of information, with only about 11% looking to formal peer reviewed evidence. The numbers of professionals turning to general internet searches is more than twice as high as any other information source other than professional colleagues. Dentists with advanced training and specialists are significantly more likely to consult peer-reviewed sources, and women in the sample were more likely than men to continue searching past a first source. Conclusions Speed/availability of information may be just as, or in some cases, more important than credibility for professionals’ search behavior. Additionally, our findings suggest that more insights are needed into how various categories of professionals within a profession seek information differently.

Phytotherapy: knowledge, experience and prescription in oral healthcare.A cross-sectional survey of dental practitioners

“…Therefore, over their careers, clinicians should update their knowledge with evidence-based information from reliable sources. However, regarding the way they seek information, most dental practitioners prefer to fill a gap in their knowledge by resorting to informal sources, mainly consulting a colleague or using a general internet search 22 , 23 . The indexed literature has provided summarized scientific evidence on the use of herbal medicine in dentistry 8 , 9 , but clinicians may not search for and apply this information in practice.…”

“…The indexed literature has provided summarized scientific evidence on the use of herbal medicine in dentistry 8 , 9 , but clinicians may not search for and apply this information in practice. Indeed, most dental practitioners have reported lack of time to keep updated with the latest scientific articles, and low confidence level for using evidence-based search 22 , 23 . This situation can be more problematic for professionals who do not have access to subscription scholarly journals or are not proficient in the language of the publications.…”