The union of dental behavioral and clinical science: educational and research prospectives

It has been argued that behavioral scientists too wedded to their disciplines are merely interlopers in dentistry. According to this argument, these individuals see dentistry as a laboratory for investigation but care little for the problems faced by clinicians. No doubt this has been true in some cases. However, since the growth of the discipline of behavioral medicine in the 1970s, a substantial number of behavioral scientists have been attracted to the basic problems of clinical science. These individuals have neither been seeking the role of part-time questionnaire designer, programmer, or statistician, nor are they simply seeking a laboratory for their studies. Academicians involved in behavioral medicine are genuinely interested in clinical phenomena in the healing sciences. The collaboration of behavioral scientists and clinical dental investigators has much to offer. The isolated clinician collecting data without methodological rigor is unlikely to make a major contribution. Behavioral scientists can add, beyond technical expertise, to the methodology or logic of the investigator. Moreover, the behavioral scientist and clinician may produce an enhanced understanding of behavioral factors important in clinical practice. This model for research also has implications for teaching and service. Courses integrating behavioral and clinical science can be offered based on the results of the collaborative research. Clinics employing both professional groups can use this knowledge to treat dental fear, TMJ disorders, and other problems effectively. Careful recruitment and training of behavioral scientists with research skills is needed.