Effectiveness of Dog-Assisted Therapy on Compliance and Home Oral Hygiene Activities in Disabled Patients

NCT06713928 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 0000793
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Recent scientific studies have shown how interaction with an animal can alleviate particular conditions of stress and conflict, thus representing a solid support for minor patients with social behavior problems or with physical or mental disabilities. In this co-therapy, a fundamental role is played by the relationship that is established between the human being and the animal, a very particular relationship capable of bringing about positive changes, in both members, but especially in the man who, benefiting from this push for change, can improve his own situation, whatever it is, and follow with greater interest and involvement the actual therapy activities proposed by the team that is following him.

Conditions

Disabilities; Dog Therapy; Oral Hygiene, Oral Health

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Plaque Control Record (PCR)

  PCR values the presence of dental plaque on the teeth

  1 month

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Emotional record

  1 month

Study Arms (2)

Oral hygiene with dog therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

use the DAT to support the oral hygiene procedures provided.

Other: Oral hygiene with dog therapy

Oral hygiene without dog therapy

NO INTERVENTION

make oral hygiene without any type of support

Interventions

Oral hygiene with dog therapy OTHER

The DAT session is divided into two phases: a pre-sitting phase in which the patient could interact with the dog, touching, caressing and playing with him, under the supervision of the dog-trainer. This phase lasted about 15 minutes. The second phase was a during-sitting phase in which the dog was in the chair, next to the patient, during the entire oral hygiene procedure, under the supervision of the dog-trainer.

Oral hygiene with dog therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 16 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Patients had to be between 5 and 16 years old;
• Patients with disability;
• Non-collaborating or with limited collaboration (Frankl Scale 1 or 2);
• Patients with a Plaque Control Record (PCR) of 40% or more;
• Patients with partial autonomy in home oral hygiene procedures.

You may not qualify if:

• Patients with fear of dogs;
• Patients with dog hair allergy;
• Patients with infectious disease;
• Tetraplegic and visually impaired subjects.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Turin, Italy: lead

Study Sites (1)

AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza

Torino, 10126, Italy

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Oral Hygiene

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Hygiene; Therapeutics; Preventive Dentistry; Dentistry

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dental Hygienist

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 27, 2024
• First Posted: December 3, 2024
• Study Start: December 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: February 1, 2025
• Study Completion: February 15, 2025
• Last Updated: February 20, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Locations

IT (1)