[Advisory report of the Health Council of the Netherlands: guidelines may improve the quality of oral care].
Healthy teeth in a healthy mouth are of great importance to daily functioning and well-being. Oral health and general health are intimately linked, despite the fact that they are often considered separately in the context of care. Primary oral care in the Netherlands has undergone many organizational changes in the past years, and society increasingly expects dentists to show accountability for the quality of care provided. The quality of oral care is not transparent and there is a substantial amount of practice variation. The scientific evidence base of dentistry is relatively weak. There are few evidence-based guidelines but most of these have not been successfully implemented. To change this, the Health Council of the Netherlands has drawn up a road map for the formulation of guidelines and has determined priorities for research.
Gezondheidsraad, Den Haag, the Netherlands. g.soete@gr.nl
Gwen A J
GA
Soete
D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D009909:Oral Health / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011787:Quality of Health Care