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RCT Defined
| Definition
of Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
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| An
RCT is an epidemiologic experiment in which subjects in a
population are randomly allocated into treatment groups (sometimes
called intervention groups) or into control groups, to evaluate
the efficacy or effectiveness of a preventive, therapeutic
procedure or intervention (International
Epidemiological Association, 1995). |
Randomized control
trials to date have been largely under utilized in the evaluation
of TMD clinical treatments, and, out of the 15,000+ total articles
published about TMD since 1965, about 4000 have been about therapy,
yet less than 100 have been randomized controlled trials, or less
than 3% of all therapy articles, and less than 0.1% of all TMD
articles (see Figure 1.2).
Figure
1.2 Number of Cumulative Scientific Articles About
TMD, 1965-2002
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In an
effort to spur broader and more rigorous programs of clinical
dental research, the National Institute for Craniofacial and Dental
Research (NIDCR) has recently created the Clinical Epidemiology
and Behavioral Research Branch and produced useful materials
to guide dental researchers toward more effective scientific evaluations
of treatment interventions. See http://www.nidr.nih.gov/clinicalTrials/Clinical_Trials_Program.asp
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