A consistent finding in health services research is that the translation of research findings into practice is unpredictable and can be a slow and haphazard process.
TRiaDS (Translation Research in a Dental Setting) is a multi-disciplinary research collaboration that was formed to develop a programme of knowledge translation research embedded within the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme guidance development process. It has public, academic, policy, service and professional members and operates within NHS Education for Scotland.
As a research collaboration TRiaDS aims to develop and evaluate the implementation of strategies to improve knowledge translation into dental practice. TRiaDS offers the potential to create a research laboratory for the provision and exchange of evidence-based information between the TRiaDS collaboration, dental healthcare professionals, educators and policy makers on how best to translate service and educational initiatives into routine clinical practice.
Drawing on experience gained in applying this approach within dental practice, the TRiaDS methodology is now being used in other branches of healthcare, e.g. Optometry and Pharmacy
TRiaDS held its first international conference in November 2012 in Edinburgh.