Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40059145›Full record

Trial reportBMC oral health2025

Dentists' perspectives on selective caries removal for the management of deep carious lesions in permanent teeth.

Jennifer Kettle, Zoe Marshman, Alice Hamilton, Sarab El-Yousfi, Sarah R Baker, Avijit Banerjee, Chris Deery, Craig R Ramsay, David Ricketts, Janet E Clarkson

Abstract readMulticenter StudyPragmatic Clinical Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC oral health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Management of deep caries.British dental journal · 2026
    Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jennifer KettleSchool of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. j.e.kettle@sheffield.ac.uk.
Zoe MarshmanSchool of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Alice HamiltonDundee Dental Hospital & School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
Sarab El-YousfiSchool of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Sarah R BakerSchool of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Avijit BanerjeeFaculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Services, King's College London, London, UK.
Chris DeerySchool of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Craig R RamsayHealth Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
David RickettsDundee Dental Hospital & Research School, University of Dundee, NHS Education for Scotland, Dundee, UK.
Janet E ClarksonDundee Dental Hospital & Research School, University of Dundee, NHS Education for Scotland, Dundee, UK. j.e.clarkson@dundee.ac.uk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo explore the views of dentists participating in the Selective Caries Removal in Permanent Teeth (SCRiPT) randomised controlled clinical trial on selective caries removal versus complete or near complete caries removal for the management of deep carious lesions.

methodsNineteen semi-structured one-to-one telephone or online video interviews were conducted with dentists involved in SCRiPT, using an interview guide informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Data were initially analysed deductively using a framework informed by the TDF, and subsequently using reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsThree themes and 25 sub-themes were generated. Themes were 'comfort using selective caries removal', 'potential value of SCRiPT' and 'challenges of subjectivity'. Sub-themes included six enablers and five barriers to the use of selective caries removal, as well as five contextual factors potentially impacting dentists' decision-making. The SCRiPT trial was found to have potential value in terms of 'overcoming uncertainty', although perceived limitations were noted. The potential value of SCRiPT may depend on other factors, including the willingness of dentists to follow evidence from the trial (reflecting personal attributes and comfort with selective caries removal). The interviews also highlighted how caries removal is perceived as subjective and involves the application of clinical judgement to individual cases. General dental practitioners who are less comfortable with selective caries removal may not start to use this approach as defined within SCRiPT, particularly if there is a lack of strong evidence from the trial.

conclusionsDentists' level of comfort with selective caries removal is multi-faceted and informed by contextual factors. SCRiPT has the potential to increase acceptance of selective caries removal, but the findings may not be interpreted in this way. Future work should further explore the concept of comfort with selective caries removal, using the thematic framework outlined here to inform the design of interview topic guides.

trial registrationTrial registry: ISRCTN. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN76503940. Date of Registration: 30.10.2019.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelDental CariesDentistsAdultDentition, PermanentFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleQualitative ResearchCariesComplete caries removalDentalMinimally invasive dentistryPrimary careQualitativeRandomised controlled trialSelective caries removalTheoretical domains framework

Identifiers

PMID40059145
PMCPMC11892160

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.