Dental Professions Library Guide

A well-built clinical question is directly relevant to patient care and helps guide searching for evidence-based answers. There are four primary components of a good clinical question--represented by the acronym PICO, or sometimes, PICO(T).

P - Patient, population or problem of interest
I - Intervention - therapy, diagnostic test, exposure, etc.
C - Comparison intervention, if relevant
O - Outcome(s) of interest
T - Time or duration

For example, consider the question: "In a patient with history of gum inflammation, does daily flossing reduce the incidence of periodontal disease compared to only brushing?" 

P - Which kind of patient?  A teenager? Someone who chews tobacco?
I - Which specific methods are you examining?  Manual tooth brushing? Using an electric toothbrush?
C - Which other option will you compare this intervention to?  Using a waterpick in addition to brushing?
O -  How is the incidence of gum disease measured?
T - Is there a time frame for this option, or duration for efficacy or treatment?

The PICO(T) format will help you translate your question from an initial broad topic or individual patient's experience, to a concrete, objective question that you can find clinical evidence to answer.