The article offers an adapted translation in Dutch of an editorial essay in The Journal of the American Dental Association concerning the benefits of practice-based research networks in dentistry. These are networks of dental practices in which general dental practitioners conduct clinical research in cooperation with university researchers. It is claimed that this approach to research better takes into account the role of the dentist in providing care because research results are developed in ‘normal’ practices and not in laboratories or university clinics. New insights emerging from this kind of research could be adopted more quickly in general practices. In a response to this editorial the possibilities of introducing practice-based research in a similar way in The Netherlands are considered.