Combining dental epidemiological relational databases

Current theory concerning the combination of relational databases addresses the problem as a layered approach, focusing on differences in physical platform, operating system, and database management systems as well as differences in the database schema. With the dynamic relational database the structure of the tables adapts to accept epidemiological survey records of differing clinical content. The database schema is not determined until an attempt is made to combine two data stores together. Two or more dynamic dental relational databases may be combined in order to amalgamate the data from two databases from one region of the country, or from data collected in two different regions. Combining data stores will allow data trends from different areas to be analysed and contrasted.