A case study in contesting the conventional wisdom: school-based fluoride mouthrinse programs in the USA.
This paper presents the events surrounding the dissemination of the results of a major preventive dentistry demonstration program designed and conducted to provide evidence of the effectiveness and actual costs of a combination of commonly used preventive procedures. It then reviews the controversy provoked when the results of that program were counter to the conventional wisdom of the day, prevailing national policy, and public health practice. An analysis of possible reasons for this reaction follows. The paper concludes with some observations about how such a situation might be approached to minimize similar controversy in the future.
School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7450.
J A
JA
Disney
H M
HM
Bohannan
S P
SP
Klein
R M
RM
Bell
D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D015397:Program Evaluation; D012107:Research Design; D012571:School Dentistry / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States
D009067:Mouthwashes; D005459:Fluorides