The clinician's guide to the literature: interpreting results.

BACKGROUND: Oral health care professionals must have up-to-date information to guide clinical practice. The peer-reviewed literature contains the most reliable and current information. The clinical research literature relies on statistical analysis of data to make inferences and draw conclusions. In this article, the authors explore the fundamental principles that underlie statistical testing. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Having the fundamental tools to critically interpret the results presented in the literature is one of the essential elements for appropriately translating clinical research into practice.