NCT06341959

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

Can a Low-threshold Check-up Motivate Older People to Schedule a Dental Visit? A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 194 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Ghent · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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).

Detailed description

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. In this way, we want to find out whether the presence of a dental professional with tailored advice is crucial to motivate an elderly person to good oral care.

Conditions

• Oral Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Oral screening	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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-04-25
• Primary completion: 2024-12-30
• Completion: 2024-12-30
• First posted: 2024-04-02
• Last updated: 2024-05-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Belgium