On May 2-3, 2008, the American Dental Association (ADA), in collaboration with the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice (JEBDP), convened the first-ever Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) Champion Conference. This Conference was sponsored by an educational grant from Procter & Gamble (P&G).
While the use of champions to help translate research into practice has been used successfully in other health care fields, the EBD Champion program is the first attempt in using this innovative approach by the ADA. EBD Champions represent a cross-section of practice settings, geographical regions, and abilities to influence the care of a diverse group of patients. Champions include practicing dentists, public health dentists, and dental educators.
The goal of the EBD Champion Program is to develop a network of dentists that will serve as a resource to their local dental communities by promoting the application of an evidence-based approach to patient treatment and prevention of disease. The first step in the Program was to attend the Conference, where the EBD Champions learned how to implement an EBD approach to dental care, and how to fulfill their roles as EBD Champions. Unique to this Conference is the fact that the EBD Champions learned primarily from their peers, other clinicians and educators who have successfully implemented EBD and disseminated their learning to other colleagues. Conference attendees had the opportunity to learn through both didactic presentations and multiple hands-on workshops.
The Conference provided the EBD Champions with information, tools, and ideas to help them implement and disseminate the value of evidence-based dentistry to colleagues, students, and staff, and most importantly, to their patients. Since dissemination is one of the key roles of an EBD Champion, this special issue of JEBDP includes publication of the conference proceedings. Conference attendees, as well as any individuals receiving this special issue, are encouraged to use these manuscripts as tools to assist in their own learning and dissemination efforts. To support this diffusion of information, JEBDP has provided online open access for each of the articles published in this issue.
Since the EBD Champion Program, including the May Conference, is the first attempt to use champions, it will continue to be carefully evaluated. A preconference survey of attendees was conducted to establish baseline knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to EBD. A similar survey was distributed at the commencement of the Conference, and a third survey will be conducted 6 months after the Conference to assess changes among conference attendees. The results of these evaluations will help determine both the success of the program and next steps to be taken.
The articles published in this issue cover a range of important topics. Dr Pilippe Hujoel discussed the importance of assessing evidence appropriately and incorporating evidence into the decision-making process. Drs George Merijohn, James Bader, and Julie Frantsve-Hawley discussed 3 evidence-based chairside tools available to practitioners. Drs Joseph Matthews, Jane Gillette, and Michael Hoen presented ways that each of them has implemented EBD in their practices. And finally, Drs George Merijohn, Gary Anderson, and Kenneth Goldberg discussed strategies that each has used to disseminate information on EBD to others, including colleagues, staff, and patients.
The American Dental Association and the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice thank Drs Paul Warren and Leslie Winston of Procter & Gamble for their leadership and partnership in helping to bring this important topic to the forefront. Thanks to their vision, the EBD Champion Program will be ongoing, with additional conferences planned for 2009 and 2010.
We acknowledge and thank the Organizing Committee for their dedication and expertise in planning, coordinating, and participating in the conference: James Bader, University of North Carolina; George Merijohn, private practice; Daniel Meyer, American Dental Association; Laura Neumann, American Dental Association; Robert Owens, American Dental Association; Ronald Zentz, American Dental Association; and Donalda Ellek, American Dental Association. We also thank Sharon Myaard, American Dental Association, for her assistance in coordinating all conference logistics; Wayne Wozniak, American Dental Association, for overseeing the workshop sessions; Helen Ristic, American Dental Association, for overseeing the evaluation surveys; and Jane Ryley, Elsevier, for her assistance in developing the conference.
Information on the upcoming conferences will be available on www.ADA.org, www.jebd.com, and ADA News when they become available.
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