Randomized Controlled Trials in Dental Public Health

Dental public health (DPH) is the science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts. Some themes, such as sugar, fluoride, and dental sealants, are central to DPH and were the focus of clinical, field, and community intervention trials. We selected some of them in order to illustrate the importance of the epidemiological experimental studies for DPH. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) should focus on outcomes that are clinically relevant to patients instead of surrogate outcomes. When reporting the results of RCTs, authors should use absolute numbers, report the base rate and avoid relative measures, such as the prevented fraction. All types of RCTs play an important role in DPH; however, community intervention trials are better suited for addressing questions related to population health. The 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics was won by three economists who used RCTs to determine how best to lift people out of poverty and improve their health. This is an excellent illustration of the power of the RCT to investigate the effectiveness of public policies and should serve as an inspiration for DPH researchers.