An evaluation of CASES - an educational audit programme for orthodontists.

A regional approach to a national clinical audit programme in orthodontics in the UK is described and evaluated. The programme was designed using the CRISIS criteria for effective continuing education. Programme participants completed duplicate questionnaires on 6 simulated patient scenarios, chosen for their relevance to everyday practice while posing important clinical dilemmas. The participation rate was 77% from hospital-based practitioners and 29% from specialist practitioners. Feedback to programme participants was given in the form of histograms, and provided a snapshot of national approaches to patient investigation, treatment and expected outcomes. A commentary on the data and references to appropriate articles in the literature were included. Evaluation of the programme by questionnaire survey showed that it was extensively used by hospital-based practitioners. It is concluded that the model used provided an effective and efficient framework for conducting clinical audit and delivering continuing education to the hospital-based group.