How to do a grounded theory study: a worked example of a study of dental practices
2011

How to Conduct a Grounded Theory Study in Dental Practices

Sample size: 40 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Sbaraini Alexandra, Carter Stacy M, Evans R Wendell, Blinkhorn Anthony

Primary Institution: University of Sydney

Hypothesis

How do dentists persist in drilling and filling early stages of tooth decay, when they could be applying preventive care?

Conclusion

Using grounded theory methodology helps medical researchers design better methods and produce high-quality findings that are more useful.

Supporting Evidence

  • Qualitative methodologies are increasingly popular in medical research.
  • Grounded theory methodology assists in developing a detailed model of dental practices.
  • Participants transitioned from restorative care to preventive care through adaptation.

Takeaway

This study shows how dentists can change their practices to focus more on preventing tooth decay instead of just filling cavities.

Methodology

Grounded theory methodology was used to investigate social processes in private dental practices.

Potential Biases

Potential biases may arise from the subjective nature of qualitative interviews.

Limitations

The study may not be generalizable to all dental practices as it focused on specific cases.

Participant Demographics

Participants included dentists, dental assistants, and patients from private dental practices in New South Wales, Australia.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2288-11-128

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