Dental Research Data Availability and Quality According to the FAIR Principles

According to the FAIR principles, data produced by scientific research should be findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable-for instance, to be used in machine learning algorithms. However, to date, there is no estimate of the quantity or quality of dental research data evaluated via the FAIR principles. We aimed to determine the availability of open data in dental research and to assess compliance with the FAIR principles (or FAIRness) of shared dental research data. We downloaded all available articles published in PubMed-indexed dental journals from 2016 to 2021 as open access from Europe PubMed Central. In addition, we took a random sample of 500 dental articles that were not open access through Europe PubMed Central. We assessed data sharing in the articles and compliance of shared data to the FAIR principles programmatically. Results showed that of 7,509 investigated articles, 112 (1.5%) shared data. The average (SD) level of compliance with the FAIR metrics was 32.6% (31.9%). The average for each metric was as follows: findability, 3.4 (2.7) of 7; accessibility, 1.0 (1.0) of 3; interoperability, 1.1 (1.2) of 4; and reusability, 2.4 (2.6) of 10. No considerable changes in data sharing or quality of shared data occurred over the years. Our findings indicated that dental researchers rarely shared data, and when they did share, the FAIR quality was suboptimal. Machine learning algorithms could understand 1% of available dental research data. These undermine the reproducibility of dental research and hinder gaining the knowledge that can be gleaned from machine learning algorithms and applications.

Greater child dental health inequality in England compared to Wales and Northern Ireland, despite lower average disease levels

INTRODUCTION

Dental caries and inequalities in dental health are major public health concerns.

AIM

To report variation in dental caries experience across deprivation quintiles and the magnitude of inequalities between countries.

DESIGN

Secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from the 2013 Child Dental Health Survey (CDHS) in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Distribution of dental caries across deprivation quintiles were estimated using as proportions and means. The magnitude of inequalities was calculated using the Relative Index of Inequality (RII).

MAIN OUTCOMES

Dental caries experience as indicated by the prevalence (%dmft/DMFT>0) and severity (dmft/DMFT) of 'obvious' and 'clinical' decay experience in both primary and permanent dentitions.

RESULTS

Children from more deprived quintiles showed higher prevalence and severity of dental caries. RIIs for dental caries were greater in England than Wales or Northern Ireland, indicating greater relative inequalities despite lower average dental caries experience. The prevalence and severity of dental caries among the most deprived children in England were 1.7 to 3.7 times greater than those of the least deprived.

CONCLUSION

There is a deprivation gradient in child dental caries in all three countries, with England showing the greatest inequalities.