About CROWN
What is the Community Research for Oral Wellness Network (CROWN)?
CROWN is a practice-based research network which was formed to provide a laboratory to collect evidence about the practice of dentistry in real world settings.
What is a practice-based research network (PBRN)?
A PBRN is a group of outpatient care practices which primarily provide health care services but are also affiliated as a group and usually with an academic health center. This network fosters an environment where questions relevant to practice are identified and investigated, with a quick turnaround of results being fed back to the network practices.
How CROWN began
CROWN began as the Ohio Dental Practice-Based Research Network (ODPBRN) in 1998 at Case Western Reserve University. Prior to the ODPBRN practice-based research networks had been active in Family Medicine and Pediatrics, but ODPBRN was the first dental practice-based research network. The network first engaged in several small studies (mostly concerning oral cancer) carried out by dental students. In 2001, CROWN began a pilot study through the Department of Community Dentistry at Case Western Reserve University. The information gained from the original pilot study of six offices formed the foundation for the NIDCR funded Direct Observation Study (DOS) in 2003. The network of dentists involved in the DOS and interested in practice based research joined with the ODPBRN, forming CROWN.
This network provided the opportunity for further research, including securing a grant provided by the American Cancer Society in 2005 to study Oral Cancer prevention methods and rates.
Participating community dentists, Case Western Reserve Univerisity dental students and faculty continue to work together in this practice-based research.
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