Simulation of Random Differential Periodontitis Outcome Misclassification with Perfect Specificity.

Measurement of periodontitis can suffer from classification errors, such as when partial-mouth protocols are applied. In this case, specificity is perfect and sensitivity is expected to be nondifferential, leading to an expectation for no bias when studying periodontitis etiologies. Despite expectation, differential misclassification could occur from sources of random error, the effects of which are unknown. Proper scrutiny of research findings can occur when the probability and impact of random classification errors are known.