Getting the measure of quality

What does quality assurance mean to you? If you are reading this journal, as I have been since a dental student, you are aware of what this unique journal offers, which explains why Colgate's partnership with Dental Update goes back to well before continuing professional development (CPD) was mandatory in the UK. There are many definitions of quality, ‘The standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something.’¹ If we reflect what quality means to us as clinicians the definition broadens also to include conformance to requirements, fitness for use, fitness for purpose and, of course, meeting patient needs and expectations.

A key measurement of quality in healthcare provision is ultimately clinical outcome, but this can be challenging when defining what success looks like. So let us consider what evidence we use to inform and update ourselves when considering our clinical choices and decision-making in practice.