Abstract
BackgroundSystematic reviews are not an assembly of anecdotes but a distillation of current best available evidence on a particular topic and as such have an important role to play in evidence-based healthcare. A substantial proportion of these systematic reviews focus on interventions, and are able to provide clinicians with the opportunity to understand and translate the best available evidence on the effects of these healthcare interventions into clinical practice. The importance of systematic reviews in summarising and identifying the gaps in evidence which might inform new research initiatives is also widely acknowledged. Their potential impact on practice and research makes their methodological quality especially important as it may directly influence their utility for clinicians, patients and policy makers. The objectives of this study were to identify systematic reviews of oral healthcare interventions published in the Journal of Applied Oral Science (JAOS) and to evaluate their methodological quality using the evaluation tool, AMSTAR. MethodsPotentially eligible systematic reviews in JAOS were identified through an electronic search of the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO). Details of the relevant aspects of methodology as reported in these systematic reviews were extracted from the full text publications. Methodological quality was assessed independently by two reviewers using the AMSTAR questionnaire. ResultsFive systematic reviews were identified, one of which was subsequently excluded as it was a review of a diagnostic test. Summary AMSTAR scores for the four included reviews were: 1, 5, 2 and 4 out of a maximum score of 11 (range 1-5, mean 3) with only one of the reviews scoring 5. ConclusionAMSTAR evaluation of the methodological quality of the relatively small number of systematic reviews published in JAOS illustrated that there was room for improvement. Pre-publication and editorial appraisal of future systematic reviews might benefit from the application of tools such as AMSTAR and is to be recommended.
Highlights
Substantial progress appears to have been PDGH UHFHQWO\ LQ %UD]LO LQ WKH ¿HOG RI KHDOWKFDUH research
An AMSTAR assessment of the methodological quality of systematic reviews of oral healthcare interventions published in the Journal of Applied Oral Sciences policy making, and guide best practice in the provision of healthcare
To assess the methodological quality of V\VWHPDWLF UHYLHZV RI RUDO KHDOWKFDUH LQWHUYHQWLRQV published in the Journal of Applied Oral Science using the AMSTAR tool
Summary
Substantial progress appears to have been PDGH UHFHQWO\ LQ %UD]LO LQ WKH ¿HOG RI KHDOWKFDUH research. As published research increases there is an increasing requirement for periodic assessments of its quality and for its integration and synthesis, so that it can be XVHG DV WKH EDVLV IRU PRUH ZHOOLQIRUPHG KHDOWKFDUH. An AMSTAR assessment of the methodological quality of systematic reviews of oral healthcare interventions published in the Journal of Applied Oral Sciences policy making, and guide best practice in the provision of healthcare. An assessment of the methodological quality of V\VWHPDWLF UHYLHZV H[DPLQLQJ WKH HIIHFWLYHQHVV RI oral and dental healthcare interventions reported WKDW D VXEVWDQWLDO PDMRULW\ RI WKHVH UHYLHZV ZHUH of mediocre quality7 $ WRWDO RI UHYLHZV ZHUH included for assessment spanning publication years RI 0DMRU ZHDNQHVVHV KLJKOLJKWHG E\ WKH LQYHVWLJDWRUV ZHUH LQDGHTXDWH VHDUFK VWUDWHJLHV D lack of quality assessment of included studies, no examination of heterogeneity and inappropriate pooling of data
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
