Johnah Galicia, D.M.D.
Assistant Professor
University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry
Testing theory is a sophisticated field of study to which dentistry has had limited exposure. It utilizes concepts such as conditional probability, inductive and deductive reasoning, Bayes' theorem, receiver operating characteristic analysis and understanding bias in decision making. These concepts are directly applicable to the diagnostic testing performed in endodontics. Understanding their application will make you a better diagnostician, allow you to recognise biases in the interpretive process and help you make better decisions in the face of uncertainty.