ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES - ABUSES OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND CHALLENGES TODENTAL RESEARCH

Statement of problem. Alternative health practitioners compete with es tablished dentistry and medicine for the treatment of many conditions. Their popularity accrues because of deficiencies of current treatment s, increased acceptance of self-treatment, and a highly individualized approach. Ineffective alternative therapies can appear effective beca use of the placebo effect, symptom variability, short-term observation s, combination with established treatments, and reporting bias. Altern ative therapies often lack a rational basis. A sound theory underlying a treatment enables the approach to be integrated with other areas of science and leads to progressive research. Purpose. This article argu es that alternative therapies can best be considered bad science that commonly violates normal scientific norms or criteria for acceptance i ncluding comprehensiveness, falsifiability, openness, and objectivity. Conclusions. The claims of alternative therapists are useful in ident ifying perceived deficiencies in conventional treatments. Suggestions for countering alternative practitioners' claims include targeted rese arch and improved access to and evaluation of the dental research lite rature.