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Overview
The Council on Scientific Affairs’ new evidence-based clinical recommendations for professionally applied topical fluoride  (Adobe PDF) are now available. The recommendations are published in the August 2006 Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), which includes an executive summary (Adobe PDF) of the clinical recommendations packaged with JADA for chairside use.
The new clinical recommendations are the first developed by the ADA using a comprehensive evidence-based approach, a rigorous process of evaluating the available scientific evidence and grading clinical recommendations according to the strength of the evidence that serve as their basis. It is important to note that the grade of each recommendation is not related to its importance, but rather reflects the quality of the scientific evidence that supports it. The ADA developed the clinical recommendations for professionally applied topical fluoride to make it much easier for dentists to use quality-assured, evidence-based recommendations as a chairside reference in the context of patient care.
The purpose of the evidence-based clinical recommendations is to provide dentists with user-friendly, practical guidance on professionally applied topical fluorides (gel, foam and varnish) for consideration in treatment planning and patient care. Some clinical recommendations of interest to practitioners include:
- Fluoride varnish is recommended for children under 6 years of age who are at moderate- or high caries risk.
- Topical fluoride is recommended for use as a caries-preventive method for moderate- and high-risk patients of all ages, including adults.
- For all patients at high caries risk, professionally applied topical fluoride is recommended at 6-month or 3-month intervals.
The new clinical recommendations are a tool to enable dentists to implement the current scientific evidence in their clinical decision-making. They are intended to be considered along with the dentist’s expertise and patient’s individual needs and preferences. The ADA is committed to strengthening the scientific basis for clinical care, and is pleased to provide the membership with the new evidence-based clinical recommendations. Additional clinical recommendations are scheduled for development in key clinical areas using an evidence-based approach. Return to Top
Additional Resources
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Science in the News is a service by the American Dental Association (ADA) to present current information about science topics in the news. The ADA is a professional association of dentists committed to the public's oral health, ethics, science and professional advancement; leading a unified profession through initiatives in advocacy, education, research and the development of standards. As a science-based organization, the ADA's evaluation of the scientific evidence may change as more information becomes available. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Document Posted August 2006
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