The importance of training, reproducibility and calibration to the quality of the studies

Abstract

Dentistry is undergoing a deep transformation in its way of producing, using and interpreting the scientific knowledge. The need for utilizing the best possible evidence for the understanding of the physical and biological processes, as well as to clinical decision making, has risen the interest in the study of subjects that were not regarded as important before. In this scene, the capacity of evaluating the quality of different studies and of producing them under international standards has enhanced the seeking for knowledge in scientific methodology. The way by which the data are obtained and the procedures are performed in research might definitively influence its capacity to generate evidence. Thus, training, reproducibility and calibration are principles that have to be part of everything concerning the process of creating and using the knowledge.