A sustainable and practical guide to early caries management

Evidence-based, minimally invasive dentistry improves oral health outcomes while enhancing patient value and care efficiency.

Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent chronic diseases managed in clinical practice. Despite advances in preventive dentistry, service delivery in many health systems continues to be dominated by invasive strategies that are resource-intensive and often fail to address the underlying disease process and reduce quality of life for patients at all ages.

There is growing international consensus that Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) and Minimally Invasive Dentistry (MID) provide a scientifically robust, patient-centred framework for improving oral health outcomes while maximising value for healthcare systems. Adoption of these strategies aligns strongly with population health goals, prevention-first concept, and ultimately precision dentistry.