ARTICLE TITLE AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:Shetty, S., Errichetti, A., Narasimhan, S., Al-Daghestani, H., & Shetty, G. The use of virtual reality and haptics in the training of students in restorative dentistry procedures: a systematic review. Korean J Med Educ. 2025;37:203-217. SOURCE OF FUNDING:This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for profit sectors. TYPE OF STUDY/DESIGN:Systematic review (SR).
Over the past quarter-century, pediatric dentistry has shifted from an expert-opinion-driven craft-often extrapolated from adult dental care, to become a discipline anchored in rigorous, child-specific evidence. This transformation reflects the maturation of evidence-based dentistry (EBD): integrating the best available research with clinical expertise and the values and preferences of children and their families. As we celebrate the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice at 25years of age, this article charts some milestones in pediatric EBD that show how clinical practice has led to scientific enquiry, research investigations and widespread changes in practice. The examples used are the Hall Technique, Atraumatic Restorative Treatment and pulp canal obliteration in dental trauma management. A pathway to improve research impact is proposed, stretching from ensuring research relevance and methodological rigor through to talking and listening to those who are stakeholders, planning implementation of findings, using core- and patient relevant- outcome sets, public communication and open science. Change does not have to be global to be important: locally tailored, context-aware research and its implementation can improve children’s oral healthcare, reduce inequalities and deliver value. This article is part of the special issue "Celebrating 25 Years of the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice".
ARTICLE TITLE AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:Effects of disinfectants on physical properties of denture base resins: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Zhang K, Zhang S, Shi Y, Zhang L, Fu B. J Prosthet Dent. 2024;131(5):841-858. SOURCE OF FUNDING:Not reported. TYPE OF STUDY/DESIGN:Systematic review with meta-analysis of data.
ARTICLE TITLE AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:Impact of maxillary expansion on the sagittal skeletal and dental parameters of growing Class II patients: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Cannatà D, Galdi M, Scelza C, Simeon V, Giordano F, Martina S. Orthod Craniofac Res. 2025 Feb;28(1):116-132. SOURCE OF FUNDING:None. TYPE OF STUDY/DESIGN:Systematic review with meta-analysis.
Background and Objectives Tele-dentistry combines telecommunications and dentistry to transmit clinical data for remote consultation and treatment planning. It improves dental care access for screening, referrals, and treatment. This study aimed to test the accuracy of intraoral camera and smartphone camera in the diagnosis of cavitated carious lesions among adults in Alexandria, Egypt. Methods A diagnostic accuracy study was conducted on adults above 18 years old visiting clinics of the Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University to compare 2 different tele-dentistry caries detection methods (intraoral camera (C50 Full HD with fluorescence) and smartphone camera (Samsung Galaxy A24) after randomizing the participants into 2 groups. The reference standard was face-to-face examination. The caries diagnosis was based on the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) through clinical examination, intraoral camera videos, and smartphone photos. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values were calculated for the 2 methods at tooth and surface levels. Results The study included 50 adults. The age group (26-40) comprised (46%) of the participants. Both cameras had high specificity and accuracy (>90%). The lowest sensitivity was in the case of detecting cavitated lesions at surface level (intraoral camera = 84.62% and smartphone = 79.52%). The smartphone camera had the lowest precision at both tooth (49.3%) and surface (58.4%) levels." Conclusion The intraoral camera showed higher accuracy than the smartphone camera especially in detecting cavitated carious lesions at surface level. While intraoral cameras are the preferred modality, smartphone cameras provide a more accessible and cost-effective alternative, especially in resource-limited settings. However, their limitations should be acknowledged.
