Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
The University of Portsmouth Dental Academy (UPDA) serves a broad range of patients for complex care, prevention, receipt of dental treatment and dental advice through a NHS contract. UPDA has previously shown that patient appointment attendance can be improved through text messaging reminders. Studies show older patients may experience a variety of barriers in accessing dental services and maintaining good oral health; including challenges complying with daily tooth-brushing behaviours. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of extended, regular oral health advice communicated via text messages for older patients attending UPDA.
Who can participate?
Dental patients aged 65 and over from the existing pool of patients at UPDA
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to receive dental health information via a sole leaflet or text messages over 10 weeks. All receive a dental examination and complete quality of life questionnaires at the start of the study. The text message group receive three messages per week for 10 weeks and after 6 months from the initial text, three additional text messages are sent. Also at this time, a two-way evaluation message regarding the intervention is sent to evaluate how useful they found the service. The control group only receive a single leaflet at the start of the study. After 12 months from the initial text, all participants complete quality of life questionnaires again and their dental records are examined to establish changes in dental health outcomes and dental attendance.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The findings will be submitted to the funders of the study (the NHS) to support decisions to extend services for older patients to improve oral health.
Where is the study run from?
University of Portsmouth Dental Academy (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
December 2018 to October 2020
Who is funding the study?
NHS England
Who is the main contact?
Dr Kristina Wanyonyi
k.wanyonyi@qmul.ac.uk
Trial website
Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Dr Kristina Wanyonyi
ORCID ID
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2320-6805
Contact details
Clinical Senior Lecturer in Dental Public Health
Queen Mary University of London
Institute of Dentistry
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
4th Floor Dental Hospital
Turner Street
London
E1 2AD
United Kingdom
+447957718679
k.wanyonyi@qmul.ac.uk
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
Nil known
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Nil known
Protocol/serial number
CPMS: 41501
Study information
Scientific title
A pilot project to research extending dental services through the use of a text messaging intervention to improve the oral health of older patients
Acronym
OHP-TOP
Study hypothesis
The University of Portsmouth Dental Academy (UPDA) serves a broad range of patients for complex care, prevention, receipt of dental treatment and dental advice through an NHS contract. UPDA has previously shown that patient appointment attendance can be improved through text messaging reminders. Studies show older patients may experience a variety of barriers in accessing dental services and maintaining good oral health; including challenges complying with daily tooth-brushing behaviours (Borreani et al., 2008). The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of extended, regular oral health advice communicated via text messages for older patients attending UPDA.
Ethics approval
Approved 30/03/2019, East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee (The Old Chapel Royal Standard Place Nottingham NG1 6FS, UK, Tel: +44 (0)207 104 8101, +44 (0)207 104 8056; Email: NRESCommittee.EastMidlands-Nottingham1@nhs.net), ref: 19/EM/0092
Study design
Randomised; Both; Design type: Prevention, Process of Care, Education or Self-Management, Management of Care, Cross-sectional
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Treatment
Patient information sheet
Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Condition
Oral health of older patients
Intervention
UPDA sees approximately 400 patients over 65 years old. They will be recruited into this extended intervention service by a research nurse to explain the study and undertake consenting protocols. Participants will receive dental health information via a sole leaflet or text messages over 10 weeks. All will receive a dental examination and undertake quality of life questionnaires at the start of the study.
The text message intervention (TMI) group (n=101) will receive three messages per week for 10 weeks and after 6 months from the initial text, three additional text messages will be provided. Also at this time, a two-way evaluation message regarding the intervention will be sent to evaluate how useful they found the service. The control group (n=101) will only receive a single leaflet at the start of the study.
After 12 months from the initial text, all participants will complete quality of life questionnaires again and their dental records will be examined to establish changes in dental health outcomes and dental attendance.
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
1. Oral health status (clinical outcomes) measured using plaque score, bleeding index, BPE, DMFT, number of sound teeth, RAG (red, amber and green disease risk) rating at baseline and after 12 months
2. Attitude and behaviour of patients assessed using two-evaluation text message at 6 months after the intervention
Secondary outcome measures
1. Perceived oral health-related quality of life and general health measured using OHIP 14 validated questionnaire at baseline at 12 months
2. The acceptability of the text messaging interventions for this age bracket assessed using two-way evaluation text-messages at 6 months
Overall trial start date
01/12/2018
Overall trial end date
31/10/2020
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
1. Dental patients aged 65 and over from the existing pool of patients at UPDA
2. Dentate
3. Able to consent to this project
4. Own a mobile device capable of receiving text messages
5. Possess an acceptable level of the English language
The latter two requirements will be assessed by whether they are currently in receipt of appointment reminders. The assessment of patient capability will be on the onus of the consenting participant and the dental care team.
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Senior
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
Planned Sample Size: 202; UK Sample Size: 202
Participant exclusion criteria
1. Dental patients below 65 years old who attend UPDA
2. Dental patients who do not currently attend UPDA
3. Patients who are edentulous and patients who do not or have been deemed to not have the capacity to consent to the text messaging intervention, either by themselves or the dental care team
4. Patients who do not own a mobile phone and are therefore unable to receive text messages
5. Patients who do not possess an acceptable level of the English language
Recruitment start date
01/05/2019
Recruitment end date
19/12/2019
Locations
Countries of recruitment
United Kingdom
Trial participating centre
University of Portsmouth Dental Academy
William Beatty Building
Hampshire Terrace
Portsmouth
PO1 2QG
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
Organisation
University of Portsmouth
Sponsor details
c/o Dr Simon Kolstoe
James Watson West
2 King Richard I Road
Portsmouth
PO1 2RF
United Kingdom
+44 (0)2392846206
simon.kolstoe@port.ac.uk
Sponsor type
University/education
Website
Funders
Funder type
Hospital/treatment centre
Funder name
NHS England
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Findings disseminated through peer-reviewed articles, reports and the UPDA website.
IPD sharing statement
The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study during this study will be included in the subsequent results publication
Intention to publish date
31/10/2021
Participant level data
Other
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list
Publication citations
Additional files
- ISRCTN17331229_PROTOCOL_v2_12Mar2019.pdf Uploaded 25/09/2019