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Critical appraisal of systematic reviews of intervention in dentistry published between 2019-2020 using the AMSTAR 2 tool

Evidence-Based Dentistry (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction The number of systematic reviews (SRs) in dentistry published each year has grown considerably, and they have been essential in clinical decision-making and health policy.

Objective The objective is to critically appraise SRs of intervention in dentistry using the 'A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2' (AMSTAR 2) tool published within one year.

Methods A search in the Medline/PubMed database was performed. The SRs were identified in two phases. The first phase identified SRs of interventions in dentistry by title and abstract. In the second phase, the full text was read, applying the eligibility criteria. Three calibrated reviewers methodologically assessed all SRs identified using the AMSTAR 2 tool. Data were analysed descriptively, and SRs were grouped according to methodological quality as moderate/high and low/critically low. A logistic regression model was applied to explore the associations between methodological quality and the study's characteristics.

Results Two hundred and twenty-two SRs were included. The methodological quality of the SRs included in this study were: critically low (56.8%), low (27.9%), moderate (14.4%) and high (0.9%), according to AMSTAR 2. There were no statistical differences between moderate/high and low/critically low methodological quality and publication year, continent, journal Impact Factor and dental speciality.

Conclusion Less than 1% of recently published SRs in dentistry were classified with high methodological quality. We hope that this study will alert researchers about the need to improve the methodological quality of SRs.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Patrícia Pauletto, Helena Polmann and Júlia Meller Dias de Oliveira are supported by CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), Ministry of Education, Brazil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brazilian Centre for Evidence-Based Research (COBE), Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; Dentistry Faculty, Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador

    Patrícia Pauletto

  2. Brazilian Centre for Evidence-Based Research (COBE), Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

    Helena Polmann, Jéssica Conti Réus, Júlia Meller Dias de Oliveira, Débora Chaves & Graziela De Luca Canto

  3. Brazilian Centre for Evidence-Based Research (COBE), Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

    Karyn Lehmkuhl

  4. Brazilian Centre for Evidence-Based Research (COBE), Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; Department of Dentistry, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil

    Carla Massignan & Cristine Miron Stefani

  5. Brazilian Centre for Evidence-Based Research (COBE), Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Carolina Castro Martins

  6. Department of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Carlos Flores-Mir

Authors
  1. Patrícia Pauletto
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Contributions

The authors declare that they have read and approved the final version of this manuscript. MSc Patrícia Pauletto worked on study conceptualisation, design, data collection, data analysis, drafted the initial manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted. MSc Helena Polmann worked on study conceptualisation, design, data collection and approved the final manuscript as submitted. MSc Jessica Conti Réus worked on study conceptualisation, design, data collection and approved the final manuscript as submitted. MSc Julia Meller Dias de Oliveira worked on study conceptualisation, design, data collection, data analysis and approved the final manuscript as submitted. MSc Débora Chaves worked on study conceptualisation, design, data collection and approved the final manuscript as submitted. MSc Karyn Lehmkuhl worked on study conceptualisation, design, data analysis, drafted the initial manuscript and approved the final manuscript as submitted. Dr Carla Massignan worked on study conceptualisation, design, data analysis, critically reviewed the manuscript and approved the final manuscript as submitted. Dr Cristine Miron Stefani worked on study conceptualisation, design, data analysis, and critically reviewed the manuscript and approved the final manuscript as submitted. Dr Carolina Castro Martins worked on study conceptualisation and data analysis, critically reviewed the manuscript and approved the final manuscript as submitted. Dr Carlos Flores-Mir worked on study conceptualisation and data analysis, critically reviewed the manuscript and approved the final manuscript as submitted. Dr Graziela De Luca Canto worked on study conceptualisation, data analysis and critically reviewed the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrícia Pauletto.

Ethics declarations

The authors have no conflict of interest to report. The protocol of this study was registered in the Open Science Frameworks under identifier: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/GPKST.

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Pauletto, P., Polmann, H., Réus, J. et al. Critical appraisal of systematic reviews of intervention in dentistry published between 2019-2020 using the AMSTAR 2 tool. Evid Based Dent (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-022-0802-5

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