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Why is dentistry so unscientific compared to nearly every other medical field? There seems to be a severe lack of evidence-based policy.

Barrin92 5y ago
is there any reason to believe that's actually the case? If this article specifically prompted that comment I suggest you take a look at the perverse incentives a lot of surgeons have, for example when it comes to hip replacements.
- huy-nguyen 5y ago
  “THE TRUTH ABOUT DENTISTRY. It’s much less scientific—and more prone to gratuitous procedures—than you may think.” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-trouble-with-dentistry/586039/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-tro...
wmeredith 5y ago
I find the lack of a source or any sort of reference for this comment humorous. It's a bold statement. My wife holds a doctorate of dental surgery and practiced privately for years before becoming clinical faculty at a dental school. I can assure you that their curriculum is based in science. There is cosmetic dentistry, which is more akin to plastic surgery or something, but even in that, the procedures, materials, and medicines they used are all steeped in knowledge of biological science.
- usednet 5y ago
  “‘At a recent conference, very few practitioners were even aware of the existence of evidence-based clinical guidelines,’ says Elliot Abt, a professor of oral medicine at the University of Illinois.“ “‘Excessive diagnosis and treatment are endemic,’ says Jeffrey H. Camm, a dentist of more than 35 years” “There are dozens of journals and organizations devoted to evidence-based medicine, but only a handful devoted to evidence-based dentistry.” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-trouble-with-dentistry/586039/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-tro...
  - pawsforthought 5y ago
    To be fair, one should be comparing numbers of evidence-based dentistry journals to those of comparable sub-fields, not medicine as a whole. The other points are also only anecdotes. Not to say I’m not inclined to believe them, but some better evidence is perhaps needed before declaring dentistry to be unscientific.
  - tpoacher 5y ago
    > very few practitioners were even aware of the existence of evidence-based clinical guidelines shame on them. but that doesn't mean the field is not based on science any more than an arbitrary recent conference by crackpots in maths being used as proof of invalidating maths. > Excessive diagnosis and treatment are endemic. Which is exactly OP's point on maligned incentives. This is despite scientific backing, not because of it. > There are dozens of journals and organizations devoted to evidence-based medicine, but only a handful devoted to evidence-based dentistry. Yes. As expected. Since it's a tiny subfield compared to the totality of medicine. Similarly there are dozens of journals on engineering, but presumably only a handful devoted to the use of solar panels in agricultural engineering.
netizen-936824 5y ago
Chiropracty is worse

Barrin92 5y ago

is there any reason to believe that's actually the case? If this article specifically prompted that comment I suggest you take a look at the perverse incentives a lot of surgeons have, for example when it comes to hip replacements.

huy-nguyen 5y ago
“THE TRUTH ABOUT DENTISTRY. It’s much less scientific—and more prone to gratuitous procedures—than you may think.” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-trouble-with-dentistry/586039/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-tro...

wmeredith 5y ago

I find the lack of a source or any sort of reference for this comment humorous. It's a bold statement. My wife holds a doctorate of dental surgery and practiced privately for years before becoming clinical faculty at a dental school. I can assure you that their curriculum is based in science. There is cosmetic dentistry, which is more akin to plastic surgery or something, but even in that, the procedures, materials, and medicines they used are all steeped in knowledge of biological science.

usednet 5y ago
“‘At a recent conference, very few practitioners were even aware of the existence of evidence-based clinical guidelines,’ says Elliot Abt, a professor of oral medicine at the University of Illinois.“ “‘Excessive diagnosis and treatment are endemic,’ says Jeffrey H. Camm, a dentist of more than 35 years” “There are dozens of journals and organizations devoted to evidence-based medicine, but only a handful devoted to evidence-based dentistry.” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-trouble-with-dentistry/586039/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-tro...
- pawsforthought 5y ago
  To be fair, one should be comparing numbers of evidence-based dentistry journals to those of comparable sub-fields, not medicine as a whole. The other points are also only anecdotes. Not to say I’m not inclined to believe them, but some better evidence is perhaps needed before declaring dentistry to be unscientific.
- tpoacher 5y ago
  > very few practitioners were even aware of the existence of evidence-based clinical guidelines shame on them. but that doesn't mean the field is not based on science any more than an arbitrary recent conference by crackpots in maths being used as proof of invalidating maths. > Excessive diagnosis and treatment are endemic. Which is exactly OP's point on maligned incentives. This is despite scientific backing, not because of it. > There are dozens of journals and organizations devoted to evidence-based medicine, but only a handful devoted to evidence-based dentistry. Yes. As expected. Since it's a tiny subfield compared to the totality of medicine. Similarly there are dozens of journals on engineering, but presumably only a handful devoted to the use of solar panels in agricultural engineering.

netizen-936824 5y ago

Chiropracty is worse