Searching for information on the World Wide Web--a guide for dental health professionals: Part 1.

Mastering the retrieval of valid information from the Internet can be challenging, especially for busy professionals with little time for learning the necessary techniques. This article provides a conceptual framework for browsing and searching for clinically relevant, valid information on the Web. Part 1 provides an overview of the Web that includes information on access methods, general characteristics, and the main user interface (a browser). Concerns about information validity are also discussed. Part 2 will describe several common methods for searching the Web, including how to visit a web site directly, visit a directory site, and conduct a search via a search-engine site.