Evidence-Based Dentistry & Biostatistics Practice Questions
Evidence-based dentistry and biostatistics are compact topics that reliably produce exam questions, particularly on the INBDE and AFK. This set covers the hierarchy of study designs, basic biostatistics, critical appraisal, diagnostic test evaluation with sensitivity, specificity and predictive values, common research design pitfalls, and how to apply evidence to a clinical decision. Most questions give you a short study description or a 2×2 table and ask you to identify the design, the bias or the correct calculation. A small amount of focused practice here tends to pay off quickly.
10 questions · answers and explanations revealed as you go · no sign-up
Questions
Question 1 of 10
Study Design Hierarchy
Which statement correctly places systematic reviews and meta-analyses of well-designed randomized trials within the evidence hierarchy?
The answer is C.
By statistically pooling results from multiple rigorous trials, a systematic review or meta-analysis increases precision and can reveal effects too small for any single study to detect reliably, which is why it is generally regarded as the strongest form of aggregated clinical evidence.
Question 2 of 10
Research Design Pitfalls Relevant to Dentistry
Why is access to dental care considered an important variable to account for in studies of caries prevalence across different communities?
The answer is B.
Communities with greater access to preventive and restorative dental care tend to show different caries outcomes for reasons unrelated to whatever exposure is being studied, so failing to account for access to care can distort comparisons between communities with different exposure levels.
Question 3 of 10
Basic Biostatistics
A diagnostic test for early caries detection correctly identifies 18 of 20 patients who truly have the condition. What statistical property does this reflect?
The answer is B.
Sensitivity measures a test's ability to correctly detect people who actually have the condition, so correctly identifying 18 of 20 true cases reflects a high true positive rate, which is what sensitivity specifically captures among diseased individuals.
Question 4 of 10
Applying Evidence to Practice
A new graduate is comparing a systematic review and an individual randomized trial addressing the same clinical question, both well-conducted. Which generally provides the stronger basis for practice?
The answer is A.
A well-conducted systematic review synthesizes findings across several individual trials, generally offering greater precision and a broader view of consistency across studies than any single trial can provide on its own, which is why it typically ranks higher as a basis for practice.
Question 5 of 10
Critical Appraisal
Selection bias in a clinical study most directly results from which of the following?
The answer is A.
Selection bias arises when the way participants are recruited or assigned makes the study groups systematically different from the outset, so any observed outcome difference may reflect that initial imbalance rather than a true effect of the exposure or treatment being studied.
Question 6 of 10
Diagnostic Test Evaluation
Before ordering a diagnostic test for suspected temporomandibular disorder, a clinician first estimates how likely the diagnosis is based on the history and exam alone. What is this initial estimate called?
The answer is B.
The clinician's estimate of disease likelihood formed from history and examination before ordering the new test is the pre-test probability, which serves as the starting point that the test result will subsequently update.
Question 7 of 10
Study Design Hierarchy
Which study design allocates participants to intervention or control groups using a random process to balance confounders at baseline?
The answer is B.
Random allocation distributes known and unknown confounders evenly between arms before treatment begins, which is why randomized controlled trials sit near the top of the evidence hierarchy for testing causal treatment effects; observational designs lack this built-in balancing step.
Question 8 of 10
Study Design Hierarchy
A dental school surveys all students in one afternoon, recording current oral hygiene habits and current gingival index scores simultaneously. Which design was used?
The answer is B.
Collecting exposure and outcome data at a single point in time from one sample is characteristic of a cross-sectional study, which is efficient for estimating prevalence but cannot determine whether the hygiene habit preceded or followed the gingival status observed.
Question 9 of 10
Research Design Pitfalls Relevant to Dentistry
A caries prevalence comparison between two schools does not account for differences in the schools' average parental education levels, which relate to both diet and dental visit habits. What research pitfall is present?
The answer is B.
Parental education level is a socioeconomic factor linked to both dietary habits and dental visit frequency, both of which affect caries risk, so leaving it unmeasured allows it to confound the comparison between the two schools' caries prevalence.
Question 10 of 10
Research Design Pitfalls Relevant to Dentistry
In a study linking low socioeconomic status to higher caries rates, why is socioeconomic status considered a common confounder in dental research?
The answer is B.
Socioeconomic status influences access to preventive dental care, diet, and health literacy, all of which independently affect caries risk, so unless it is measured and adjusted for, it can distort the apparent relationship between another exposure and caries outcomes.
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