Evidence not practised: the underutilisation of preventive fissure sealants.
International and UK professional organisations, Cochrane systematic reviews, and international and UK guidance documents all support the application of preventive fissure sealants (PFSs) as an effective treatment for reducing caries. However, PFSs are well known to be underutilised in primary care. This paper collates data from PFS-relevant studies in Scotland, which has a large population of children at caries risk, to identify the beliefs and factors dentists perceive as influencing their decision not to provide this treatment. This information provides a platform to suggest how to increase the application of PFSs in this region (a standardised audit incorporating evidence-based behaviour change techniques, supplemental guidance on how to implement gold-standard recommendations in practice, training). This may also be relevant outside of Scotland, as well as to the implementation of other evidence-based behaviours in practice.
Dental Health Services Research Unit, DDEC, Frankland Building, University of Dundee, Small's Wynd, Dundee, DD1 4HN.
D L
DL
Bonetti
D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055094:Evidence-Based Dentistry; D006801:Humans; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants