title: Evidence-practice gap for in-office fluoride application in a dental practice-based research network.
abstract: The aims of this study were to examine dentists' recommendations for in-office fluoride to patients and identify dentists' characteristics associated with these recommendations.
  
  
  
  The study was conducted using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey in Japan. The survey queried dentists (n = 282) in outpatient dental practices affiliated with the Dental Practice-based Research Network Japan (JDPBRN). This network aims to assist dentists in investigating research questions and sharing their experience and expertise.
  
  
  
  The responses were obtained by 189 dentists (67 percent). Among valid response, 54 percent of dentists (n = 98) recommend in-office fluoride to more than 50 percent of their patients aged 6-18 years and 15 percent (n = 29) recommended this care to more than 50 percent of their patients aged over 18 years. Multiple logistic regression analysis suggested that factors associated with the percentage of patients who are recommended in-office fluoride included patient's interest in caries prevention and dentist's belief in the effectiveness of caries risk assessment.
  
  
  
  Dentist practice patterns for recommending in-office fluoride vary widely. Recommendation was significantly related to having a higher percentage of patients interested in caries prevention and to the dentist's belief about the effectiveness of caries risk assessment. (Clinicaltrials.gov registration number NCT01680848).
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa-City, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Dental Education, Kyushu Dental University, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kakudate
authors.affiliation: Mikami Dental & Orthodontics Clinic, Tomakomai, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Futoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sumida
authors.affiliation: Matsumoto Dental Clinic, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Community Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Gregg H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Valeria V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Gordan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000071836:Professional Practice Gaps; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005460:Fluorides, Topical
keywords: clinical epidemiology; dental caries; dentist's practice patterns; evidence-based dentistry; preventive dentistry