The contributions of qualitative research towards dental public health practice

TY - JOUR

T1 - The contributions of qualitative research towards dental public health practice

AU - Bower, E

AU - Scambler, S

PY - 2007/6

Y1 - 2007/6

N2 - Dental public health (DPH) researchers have traditionally relied on quantitative methods for scientific enquiry. This paper argues that qualitative methodology can make a significant contribution to DPH knowledge and practice because it allows researchers to answer important questions of relevance to procedure and policy that are difficult to answer satisfactorily using quantitative methods alone. Qualitative research can also challenge the norms and assumptions of DPH practice. There are tensions in the relationship between qualitative research and the prevailing paradigm of evidence-based practice (EBP) which potentially influence the utility of DPH-related qualitative research. However, the relevance of qualitative research is increasing as the scope of EBP enquiry extends beyond questions of effectiveness, and methods are developed for incorporating qualitative research into systematic reviews

AB - Dental public health (DPH) researchers have traditionally relied on quantitative methods for scientific enquiry. This paper argues that qualitative methodology can make a significant contribution to DPH knowledge and practice because it allows researchers to answer important questions of relevance to procedure and policy that are difficult to answer satisfactorily using quantitative methods alone. Qualitative research can also challenge the norms and assumptions of DPH practice. There are tensions in the relationship between qualitative research and the prevailing paradigm of evidence-based practice (EBP) which potentially influence the utility of DPH-related qualitative research. However, the relevance of qualitative research is increasing as the scope of EBP enquiry extends beyond questions of effectiveness, and methods are developed for incorporating qualitative research into systematic reviews

U2 - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.2006.00368.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.2006.00368.x

M3 - Literature review

VL - 35

SP - 161

EP - 169

JO - Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology

JF - Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology

IS - 3

ER -