Since 2003 we have been using a system based on the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine (OCEBM) levels of evidence to indicate the quality of the summary articles we publish in the journal. Although OCEBM introduced an updated version of their level of evidence in 2011 (https://www.cebm.net/category/ebm-resources/loe/) we have continued to use their original one.

In addition to the OCEBM system for grading levels of evidence a plethora of grading systems exist and in 2004 the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) working group published a critical appraisal of six of the most prominent systems,1 and as a result proposed a new system for both rating the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendation.2,3 Since that time the use of the GRADE approach has increased, and it is now routinely seen in new and updated reviews from the Cochrane Oral Health Group as well as a broad range of other dental systematic reviews. As a consequence, we have decided to move over to GRADE for rating the quality of original studies summarised in the Evidence-based Dentistry journal.

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