Practice-based research in dentistry: Exploring methodologies, benefits, and challenges
Open accessAbstract
Background: Practice‐Based Research Network (PBRN) studies typically assess the effectiveness of clinical interventions in settings that match real‐world conditions. Dental PBRNs have the capacity to amass, identify, and analyze vast amounts of data from patient populations that include diverse racial, ethnic, socio‐economic, and geographic backgrounds. These dental studies encompass a broad spectrum of healthcare aspects, including prevention, diagnosis, symptom and disease treatment, quality enhancement, and care coordination. Methods: An extensive range of research methodologies can be employed within dental PBRNs to investigate these topics, including randomized controlled trials. Dental PBRNs have evolved from primarily focusing on case observations to leveraging advanced network infrastructure and collaborating across multiple regional and national sites. In addition to producing numerous high‐impact peer‐reviewed publications, study results have led to improved clinical care. However, PBRNs encounter challenges, such as the sustainability of research capacity (relying heavily on ongoing support from funding agencies), diverse research cultures, and an imperative to design studies that are both feasible and relevant to everyday clinical practice. Recognizing the pivotal role of real‐world evidence, it is important to have sustained investment in dental PBRN infrastructure and feasible opportunities for practitioners to participate in network activities nationwide. Conclusion: Practice‐Based Research Network studies capitalize on an important research context within which to investigate a range of clinical topics that can employ multiple research methodologies. However, sustaining productive networks requires strategic effort, ongoing financial support, and customized organizational skills.
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Mungia et al. highlighted the importance of designing studies that are practical and relevant to everyday clinical practice, which increases the likelihood of participation.
“In addition, Mungia et al. highlighted the importance of designing studies that are practical and relevant to everyday clinical practice, which increases the likelihood of participation [30].”
From Private Dental Practitioners' Experience in a Dental Practice-Based Research Network: A Qualitative Evaluation (2026) · cites this paper as [30]
The Discussion (page unavailable) says designing studies that are feasible and relevant to everyday clinical practice is imperative. It also identifies practitioner recruitment as a challenge, but does not state that such study designs increase the likelihood of participation. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMungia et al. emphasized the importance of strategic efforts such as sustained investment in infrastructure, effective engagement strategies, and bespoke organizational skills to ensure the productive operation of PBRNs.
“Additionally, Mungia et al. emphasized the importance of strategic efforts such as sustained investment in infrastructure, effective engagement strategies, and bespoke organizational skills to ensure the productive operation of PBRNs [30].”
From Private Dental Practitioners' Experience in a Dental Practice-Based Research Network: A Qualitative Evaluation (2026) · cites this paper as [30]
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- Authors
- Mungia, R., Funkhouser, E., Lobbezoo, F., Verhoeff, M. C., Gilbert, G. H., & National Dental PBRN Collaborative Group
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center (US)
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (US)
- Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Mungia, Rahma
- Venue
- Journal of Oral Rehabilitation
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2024-08-16
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1175-1184
- ISSN
- 0305-182X (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2842
- PMC
- PMC11830050
- OpenAlex
- W4401668801
- Cited by
- 4
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2
- FWCI
- 0.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Oral Rehabilitation (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- VU Research Portal (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (U19‐DE‐28717, U19‐DE‐22516, UM1‐TR‐004538)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Dental Education, Practice, Research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Sciences Research and Education
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Policy Implementation Science
- Keywords
- practice-based research networks, dental research, real-world evidence, research sustainability, research capacity, randomized controlled trials, clinical research infrastructure, research funding, quality of dental care
- MeSH terms
- Dental Care, Humans, Research Design, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Dental Research, Evidence-Based Dentistry, Community-Based Participatory Research
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