Dental Care Professionals performing the routine dental check-up
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Dental Care Professionals performing the routine dental check-up, a feasibility study.
IRAS ID
156163
Contact name
Richard Macey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Research summary
Patients will be randomised into one of three groups:
1) Continue seeing the General Dental Practitioner (GDP) for routine dental check-ups
2) See a Dental Care Professional (DCP) for routine dental check-up
3) See a GDP and DCP alternately
There are a number of different roles within the DCP title, the professionals used here will be dental therapists who are trained and allowed under General Dental Council regulations to complete diagnosis.
This is a feasibility study investigating recruitment and retention of patients and is intended to lead to a full randomised controlled trial which will have the aim of finding out whether Dental Care Professionals can safely complete routine dental check-ups. The acceptability of the new system to patients and practitioners will be investigated through interviews. Cost effectiveness of the three groups will also be analysed.
Patients aged over 18 years of age who do not require a routine radiograph during the period of the study and are at medium or low risk of caries (tooth decay) and periodontal (gum) disease will be eligible. Dental practices with a high throughput of NHS patients that have employed a dental therapist for at least two years will be considered.
The study will be run for 12 months and is intended to cover three routine check-up appointments, with one extra appointment at the end of the study with an external assessor to establish the standard of oral health as an outcome. Patients will then be invited to take part in interviews.REC name
West of Scotland REC 4
REC reference
14/WS/1047
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion