CAMBRA
Pronunciation: KAM-brah
Also written as: CAMBRA — Caries Management by Risk Assessment
Caries Management by Risk Assessment; an evidence-based protocol for classifying a patient's caries risk level and tailoring preventive interventions accordingly.
Full Definition
CAMBRA stands for Caries Management by Risk Assessment and represents a systematic, evidence-based framework used by dental hygienists and dentists to categorize patients as low, moderate, high, or extreme caries risk based on biological, protective, and clinical factors. The assessment informs the selection of preventive therapies such as fluoride regimens, xylitol recommendations, and recall intervals. Editors should always expand the acronym on first use and note that CAMBRA is a proper protocol name and should be treated as such (all-caps). It should not be confused with general 'caries risk assessment,' which is a broader process.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalize all letters (CAMBRA). Expand on first use. Do not lowercase or italicize unless the publication's style guide mandates otherwise.
In Context
- "Based on the CAMBRA findings, the patient was classified as high caries risk and prescribed 1.1% sodium fluoride toothpaste for home use." — Treatment Plan
- "The article referenced CAMBRA without expanding the acronym on first mention, which the copy editor flagged as a style error." — Manuscript Review