Can a Low-threshold Check-up Motivate Older People to Schedule a Dental Visit?

NCT06341959 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: GerodentPLUS1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 194
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

There is little research on the effect of oral screening campaigns for improving oral health in older people. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a low-threshold contact with an oral health professional, including an oral health examination, on dental attendance of older people (65 years of age or older).

Conditions

Oral Disease

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Contacted a dentist

  Number of participants that have contacted a dentist within 4 months.

  4 months

Study Arms (2)

Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention group will be provided with tools to facilitate dental contact and will be informed about the importance of regular dental visits. Participants are given the opportunity to receive an oral examination. Afterwards, each participant will receive brochures with oral hygiene instructions to take home. Participants will receive information about any identified oral pathology. A referral letter for the dentist and a report for the general practitioner will also be prepared to increase social influence. If the participant doesn't have a dentist, the participant will receive a list of contact information for dentists in the area.

Procedure: Oral screening

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

In the control group, no oral examination will be performed. However, participants will be given a list of nearby dentists and flyers with oral hygiene instructions.

Interventions

Oral screening PROCEDURE

The participants in the intervention group will receive an oral examination. Subsequently, information about any identified problem will be given. Lastly, participants will receive a referral letter for their dentist and a report for the general practitioner. If the participants don't have a regular dentist, they will also be given a list with contact information of dentists in the area.

Intervention Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years of age or older
• home-dwelling within the selected regions (ELZ RITS en ELZ Scheldekracht)
• Dutch speaking
• no dental check-up in the last 12 months
• sufficient cognitive ability to answer the questions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Ghent: lead

Study Sites (1)

UGent

Ghent, 9000, Belgium

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

• De Vleeschauwer A, Poppe L, Colman R, Janssens B. Can a low-threshold check-up motivate older adults to schedule a dental visit? Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2025 Jan 20;26(1):23. doi: 10.1186/s13063-025-08728-7.

  PMID: 39833951 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Mouth Diseases

Interventions

Mass Screening

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stomatognathic Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Health Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Data Collection; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Diagnostic Services; Preventive Health Services; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Public Health; Environment and Public Health; Public Health Practice

Study Officials

• Barbara Janssens

  University Ghent

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Aster De Vleeschauwer

CONTACT

+32470475369; aster.devleeschauwer@ugent.be

Barbara Janssens

CONTACT

+32473615130; barbarae.janssens@ugent.be

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: The intervention group will be provided with tools to facilitate dental contact and will be informed about the importance of regular dental visits. Participants are given the opportunity to receive an oral examination. Afterwards, each participant will receive brochures with oral hygiene instructions to take home. Participants will receive information about any identified oral pathology. A referral letter for the dentist and a report for the general practitioner will also be prepared to increase social influence. If the participant doesn't have a dentist, the participant will receive a list of contact information for dentists in the area. In the control group, no oral examination will be performed. However, participants will be given a list of nearby dentists and flyers with oral hygiene instructions.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 6, 2024
• First Posted: April 2, 2024
• Study Start: April 25, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 30, 2024
• Study Completion: December 30, 2024
• Last Updated: May 17, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

BE (1)