2025, Number 1
<< Back Next >>
Odovtos-Int J Dent Sc 2025; 27 (1)
Calibration Process for Diagnosing Dental Caries Using the DMFT Index
Garcés-Elías MC, Fernández-Coll AP, Beltrán JA, León-Manco RA, Mas-López J
Language: Spanish
References: 22
Page: 134-142
PDF size: 340.28 Kb.
ABSTRACT
The DMFT index is an optimal tool for assessing dental caries experience over a person's
lifetime, necessitating that examiners of these epidemiological indices be properly standardized through
a rigorous process such as calibration. The objective of the study was to develop a calibration process
for diagnosing dental caries using the DMFT index among three groups of dentists. A cross-sectional
study conducted with a population of 15 dentists who volunteered to participate, organized into 3 groups
based on their area of practice. The calibration process was conducted both virtually and in-person.
Statistical analysis involved calculating validity and reliability values using the Kappa coefficient, with
a confidence level of 95% and significance set at p‹0.05. For photographic results, Kappa values
ranged from 0.55 (p‹0.001) to 0.91 (p‹0.001) in the first process, and from 0.73 (‹0.001) to 1.00
(‹0.001) in the second process. For dental assessments, values ranged from 0.20 (p=0.090) to 0.81
(p‹0.001) in the first stage, and from 0.31 (p=0.002) to 0.89 (p‹0.001) in the second. Out of the
initial 15 examiners, 46.67% (n=7) achieved "almost perfect agreement" and 20.00% (n=3) achieved
"substantial agreement."
REFERENCES
World Health Organization. Oral Health Surveys. Basic Methods. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2013.
Christian B., Amezdroz E., Calache H., Gussy M., Sore R., Waters E. Examiner calibration in caries detection for populations and settings where in vivo calibration is not practical. Community Dent Health. 2017; 34 (4): 248-53.
Vilella K.D., Assunção L.R., Junkes M.C., Menezes J.V., Fraiz F.C., Ferreira F. de M. Training and calibration of interviewers for oral health literacy using the BREALD-30 in epidemiological studies. Braz Oral Res. 2016; 30 (1): e90.
Frencken J. Caries Epidemiology and Its Challenges. Monogr Oral Sci. 2018; 27: 11-23.
Madera M., Bernabé E. Estimating the prevalence of untreated caries in permanent teeth from the DMF index and lifetime caries prevalence. J Public Health Dent. 2021; 81 (2): 143-9.
World Health Organization. Oral Health. World Health Organization; 2022. (Consultado el 24 de junio del 2022). Disponible en: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health
Rechmann P., Jue B., Santo W., Rechmann B.M.T., Featherstone J.D.B. Calibration of dentists for Caries Management by Risk Assessment Research in a Practice Based Research Network - CAMBRA PBRN. BMC Oral Health. 2018; 18 (1): 2.
Su C.W., Yen A.M., Lai H., Chen H.H., Chen S.L. Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve-Based Prediction Model for Periodontal Disease Updated With the Calibrated Community Periodontal Index. J Periodontol. 2017; 88 (12): 1348-55.
Su C.W., Yen A.F., Lai H., Lee Y., Chen H.H., Chen S.S. Effects of risk factors on periodontal disease defined by calibrated community periodontal index and loss of attachment scores. Oral Dis. 2017; 23 (7): 949-55.
Woo D.A. An innovative online approach to clinical faculty calibration [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jun 5]. J Dent Educ. 2020; 10.1002/jdd.12244.
Frencken J.E., Giacaman R.A., Leal S.C. An assessment of three contemporary dental caries epidemiological instruments: a critical review. British Dental Journal. 2020; 228 (1): 25-31.
Assaf A.V., Zanin L., Meneghim M. de C., Pereira A.C., Ambrosano G.M. Comparaçãoentre medidas de reprodutibilidade para acalibração em levantamentos epidemiológicosda cárie dentária [Comparison of reproducibilitymeasurements for calibration ofdental caries epidemiological surveys]. CadSaude Publica. 2006; 22 (9): 1901-7.
Assaf A.V., de Castro Meneghim M., ZaninL., Tengan C., Pereira A.C. Effect of differentdiagnostic thresholds on dental caries calibration- a 12 month evaluation. CommunityDent Oral Epidemiol. 2006; 34 (3): 213-9.
Amarante B.C., Arima L.Y., Pinheiro E.,Carvalho P., Michel-Crosato E., Bönecker M.Diagnosis training and calibration for epidemiologicalstudies on primary and permanentteeth with hypomineralization. Eur ArchPaediatr Dent . 2022; 23: 169-77.
Vieira H.A.O., Araújo L.D.C., CarvalhoF.K., Queiroz A.M., Paula-Silva F.W.G.Use of images and clinical experience tocalibrate dental surgeons for the diagnosisof molar incisor hypomineralization. PesquiBras Odontopediatria Clín Integr. 2023; 23:e220040.
Biorn C.M., Rogo E.J., Williams R. Effectivenessof Online Faculty Calibration Activities.J Dent Hyg. 2023; 97 (5): 103-15.
Kallás M.S., Guardieiro B., Henrique E.A.,Silva D.G., Takashi D.A., Marchini L.Telehealth in geriatric dentistry: A comparativeanalysis of concordance between virtualand in-person examinations for hospitalizedolder patients. Spec Care Dentist. 2024.10.1111/scd.13036.
Nabarrette M., Santos P.R.D., Assaf A.V.,Ambrosano G.M.B., Meneghim M.C,Vedovello S.A.S., et al. Longitudinal studyfor dental caries calibration of dentistsunexperienced in epidemiological surveys.Braz Oral Res. 2023; 37: e023.
Antoniadou M., Rahiotis C., Kakaboura A.Sustainable Distance Online EducationalProcess for Dental Students during COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res PublicHealth. 2022; 19 (15): 9470.
De Souza G.M., Tiwari T., Fox C.H., MiguezP.A., Letra A., Geisinger M.L., et al. Perceptionof COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on dentalresearchers. J Dent Educ. 2023; 87 (2): 170-81.
Shah S., Diwan S., Kohan L., Rosenblum D.,Gharibo C., Soin A., Sulindro A., Nguyen Q.,Provenzano D.A. The Technological Impactof COVID-19 on the Future of Education andHealth Care Delivery. Pain Physician. 2020;23 (4S): S367-S380.
Sahi P.K., Mishra D., Singh T. MedicalEducation Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.Indian Pediatr. 2020; 57 (7): 652-57.
Full text