Department of Life and Earth Sciences 2009 - 2010 ABSTRACTS OF SENIOR RESEARCH PROJECTS ( In Alphabetical Order )

The academic goal of an internship at Southmoor Dental Group in the summer of 2009 was to learn how a practicing dentist incorporates emerging scientific research into his clinical practice. Ethical responsibilities to their patients oblige dentists to replace or augment present treatments if new information indicates that new treatment methods offer significant advantages. As a result dentists are engaged in a continuing process of evaluating new and emerging materials and techniques, and considering their merit and applicability to their own practice. Practitioners typically obtain research outcomes from disciplinary journals, academic and professional symposia, as well as from specific related classes. Renewal of licensure to practice in the state of Ohio requires dentists to keep up with developments in the dental field by completing 40 hours of Continuing Education (CE) each year. This paper examines the application of evidencebased scientific and clinical research findings that a dentist uses in formulating the best practices in management, (diagnosis, treatment, and education) of his own patients. The specific example of dental hypersensitivity reduction through composite resin reconstruction and other therapeutic practices is used to demonstrate the application of current scientific evidence and the considerations that affect its adoption into clinical practice.