Dental-Child Interaction Training
DCIT
Implementing Evidence-based Behavioral Skills in Pediatric Oral Healthcare Providers
2 other identifiers
interventional
264
1 country
4
Brief Summary
The goal of this behavioral, interventional clinical trial is to provide a specialized workshop training for dental providers (e.g., dentists, hygienists, assistants) to improve interactions with young children (2-10 years old) and parents/caregivers. The training is derived from a well-established behavior management program for preschoolers, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Change in behavior of dental providers
- Acceptability of training by dental providers All participants will receive the same behavior training; however, one group will receive the training on a delayed schedule. Researchers will compare the immediate intervention and control group to see if the training was effective in the dental providers usage of skills.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Apr 2026
Longer than P75 for not_applicable
4 active sites
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 25, 2023
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
November 18, 2023
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
April 1, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
August 31, 2028
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
August 31, 2029
March 16, 2026
June 1, 2025
2.4 years
July 25, 2023
March 13, 2026
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
To assess dental providers' usage of DCIT behavioral methods in the training workshop.
Frequency counts of Dental-Child Interaction Training (DCIT) positive (i.e., increases/change in labeled praises, behavior descriptions, direct commands) and negative (i.e., decreases/change in negative talk and no-opportunity-to-comply commands) behavioral methods and ratio of those behaviors to all coded provider behaviors involved in the interaction of the child to evaluate whether participants show demonstrated skill change as a result of the workshop. Outcome measured by observation of video-taped interactions between dental provider and (simulated) children using Dental-Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (D-DPICS).
Immediately pre- and post-workshop
Secondary Outcomes (1)
To assess dental providers' knowledge of DCIT principles and methods.
Immediately pre- and post-workshop
Other Outcomes (3)
To assess the acceptability of dental providers' usage of DCIT behavioral methods in their dental practices/clinics.
Immediately post- workshop and again two and 6 months post workshop
To assess dental providers' ability to use DCIT behavioral methods in their clinic or practice setting.
2 months pre-workshop to 2 months post-workshop
To assess child behavior when dental providers use DCIT behavioral methods in their clinic or practice setting.
2 months pre-workshop to 2 months post-workshop
Study Arms (2)
Immediate Intervention Group
EXPERIMENTALExperiential, interactive, skills-oriented workshop for oral healthcare providers (i.e., dentists, hygienists, and assistants) involving simulated patients and immediate pre- and post-workshop testing. The workshop involves didactics on developmentally-appropriate child behavior in the dental setting, and "over-practice" of skills, to the point of habit, by providers.
Delayed Intervention Group
ACTIVE COMPARATORThe delayed intervention group will receive the same experiential, interactive, skills-oriented workshop, but two months after the immediate intervention group.
Interventions
The delayed training group will also be video recorded in office but will wait an additional two months and then participate in the training and assessment methods as with the original training group.
The immediate intervention group will be video recorded in office and participate in the training workshop and assessment methods two months after.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Dental Providers
- Licensed dentist, licensed or certified dental hygienist, or dental assistant
- Provides (or willing to consider providing) dental treatment for children between 2 years and 10 years old -\>= 18 years old
- Fluent in spoken and written English
- Willing to be videotaped
- Parent/Caregivers
- Understands spoken and written English
- Willing to be videotaped
- Provide signed and dated informed consent form
- Willing to comply with all study procedures and be available for the duration of the study
- Child Dental Patients
- Child between 2 years, 0 months, and 0 days, and 10 years, 11 months, 30 days old
- Receiving preventive, restorative, emergency or any other dental treatment
- Accompanied by a parent/caregiver
- Understands spoken and written English
- +5 more criteria
You may not qualify if:
- Cognitive impairment or developmental delay
- Major medical problem in child
- Autism or other developmental/neurodevelopmental disorders
- Anything that would place the individual at increased risk or preclude the individual's full compliance with or completion of the study.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (4)
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701, United States
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, 30608, United States
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia, 26506, United States
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Daniel W McNeil, PhD
University of Florida
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Cheryl B McNeil, PhD
University of Florida
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 25, 2023
First Posted
November 18, 2023
Study Start
April 1, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
August 31, 2028
Study Completion (Estimated)
August 31, 2029
Last Updated
March 16, 2026
Record last verified: 2025-06