EDITORIAL

Dr Cristiane da Mata

Honorary Editor

Connections and learning

The need for connections, and the business of turning knowledge into practice, are central to this edition.

It has been two years since Covid-19 arrived in Ireland and we could not have known that our lives would be impacted for so long. And just when things start to brighten up with high vaccination rates and the lifting of restrictions, we see the world taking another turn towards uncertainty, fear and lack of hope. I have been talking to many people who have said they feel a sense of disconnect, even though we have never been more connected, albeit virtually. The IDA Annual Conference is coming at a time when we are really craving social interaction and face-to-face contact. It brings us an outstanding programme, and will give us the opportunity to meet old friends, make new ones, and re-establish our networks in a more meaningful way. It is about time we reconnected.

Translating knowledge into practice The last decades have seen an explosion of information. From 2003 to 2012, the total number of publications in dental journals more than doubled from 4,727 to 10,102 papers. In the same period, the total number of dental journals increased significantly from 46 to 83.1 In the biomedical field alone, it is estimated that more than one million papers pour into the PubMed database each year — about two papers per minute.2 It would be reasonable to assume that once access to evidence is gained, this will be translated into practice immediately. However, this does not seem to be the case as there is plenty of evidence to show that knowledge transfer is a much more complex process, which occurs slowly and sporadically. In dentistry, a good example of this failure to transfer knowledge into practice can be seen in the treatment of carious lesions. The invasive (operative) management of enamel lesions is not supported by evidence and is no longer recommended. Despite this, studies worldwide point to the fact that 40-80% of dentists would still choose to use the drill, and remove tooth structure in the treatment of these lesions. The reasons for this gap between evidence and practice are many, with several factors from professionals, to patients, remuneration systems and policies. Some authors have summarised the problems with translational research into three categories: ‘don’t know’, ‘can’t do’ or ‘won’t change’. It has been suggested that an essential starting point of managing the problem of ‘don’t know’ is the availability of high-quality, evidence-based guidance on best clinical practice.3 Clinical tips I am delighted to introduce a new series of short articles, which will provide tips on new techniques, dental materials, patient management, etc. The idea is to provide practitioners with evidence-based, summarised clinical guidance that can be easily read, digested and applied in practice. Dr Graham Quilligan has contributed the first article of the series, giving readers excellent tips on the use of the apex locator. Submissions of clinical tips and also suggestions on topics to be covered in this section are more than welcome.

Gerodontology series This issue also brings a new series on the treatment of older patients. With the increase in life expectancy and tooth retention, it is becoming more and more common to see senior individuals looking for dental treatment that goes beyond simple denture provision, and this brings many challenges to practitioners. These patients, besides presenting with high levels of caries and periodontal disease, may have comorbidities and limitations to a more conventional treatment plan. The first article, by Prof. Finbarr Allen, discusses general concepts in treatment planning for older patients and the importance of a comprehensive assessment of patients’ risk, including factors such as general health, polypharmacy, dependency status, and their ability to maintain oral health. I recommend it (and all of the contents of this Journal) to you, and hope to see as many of you as possible in Galway.

References

1. Jayaratne, Y.S.N., Zwahlen, R.A. The evolution of dental journals from 2003 to 2012: a bibliometric analysis. PloS One 2015; 10 (3): e0119503. 2. Atarodi, A., Dastani, M., Atarodi, A. The addictively trends of published research in medical journals: a mining approach. Mental Health and Addiction Research 2020; 5: 1-5. 3. Innes, N.P.T., Frencken, J.E., Schwendicke, F. Don't know, can't do, won't change: barriers to moving knowledge to action in managing the carious lesion. Journal of

Dental Research 2016; 95 (5): 485-486.