Dental therapists/hygienists working in remote-rural primary care: a structured review of effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, acceptability and affordability

A scoping review exploring oral health inequalities in India: a call for action to reform policy, practice and research

INTRODUCTION

Reduction in health inequalities and providing universal access to health care have been identified as two important global milestones by the World Health Organization for countries to achieve by 2030. Therefore, recognizing the magnitude of oral health inequalities in India has become a pressing priority to improve access to dental care within the country. This scoping review was conducted with the aim of reviewing, collating and analysing the current knowledge base on oral health inequalities in India.

METHODOLOGY

The scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's approach, and reporting was performed in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A systematic search was conducted on Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE to identify literature addressing one or more dimensions of oral health inequalities in India, published in English between January 2002 and April 2022. The data were charted, and qualitative analysis was performed to derive themes, highlighting the key concepts emerging from this review.

RESULTS

In accordance with the eligibility criteria, a total of 71 articles retrieved through database search and backward citation search were included in this scoping review. The major themes ranged from individual to diverse sociodemographic factors acting as barriers to and facilitators of access to dental care. Deficiencies in human resources for oral health, along with a wide diversity in dental service provision and dental education were other major themes contributing to inequality. Subsequently, this has resulted in recommendations on restructuring the dental workforce and their development and modifications in oral health care policies and practices. The qualitative synthesis demonstrates the intertwined nature of the multiple factors that influence the goal of achieving an affordable, accessible, extensive and inclusive oral healthcare system in India.

CONCLUSIONS

This comprehensive review provides a broad perspective on oral health inequalities in India, providing valuable insights for both researchers and policymakers in this area and guiding their efforts towards achieving universal oral health coverage in the Indian context.

Impact of internal brand management on sustainable competitive advantage: An explanatory study based on the mediating roles of brand commitment and brand citizenship behavior

The existing literature on internal branding has often adopted a managerial-based approach and seldom considered employees’ perceptions. Therefore, there is a need to understand the perspective of frontline and non-managerial employees. In this context, the current study investigates the impact of internal brand management on brand commitment, brand citizenship behavior, and sustainable competitive advantage for the hotel industry. A survey-based quantitative data was gathered from 390 non-managerial frontline staff working in 3-, 4-, and 5-star hotels of Pakistan. The results revealed that internal brand management positively impacts brand commitment, brand citizenship behavior, and sustainable competitive advantage. Besides, brand commitment has a positive impact on brand citizenship behavior and sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, brand citizenship behavior has a positive impact on sustainable competitive advantage. In addition, the mediating roles of brand commitment and brand citizenship behavior exist between internal brand management and sustainable competitive advantage. The research implications, together with research limitations, have also been discussed.

A survey of dental therapists' practice patterns and training in Minnesota

BACKGROUND

Expansion of the dental team may play a role in increasing access to oral health care. In 2009, Minnesota became the first state to formally license dental therapists (DTs).

METHODS

The authors surveyed DTs and advanced dental therapists (ADTs) in Minnesota to gain a better understanding of those who enter the profession and their motivation for doing so, as well as to solicit their opinions on the overall structure of dental therapy education and the regulatory aspects of the profession.

RESULTS

The response rate was 53.1%. DTs and ADTs were split on whether a dental hygiene degree should be required. Primary reasons for entering dental therapy included more autonomy and a larger scope of practice. Respondents expressed a desire for broadened prescribing rights. The median annual income was in the $81,000 through $90,000 bracket.

CONCLUSIONS

Minnesota DTs and ADTs must practice in underserved communities. However, their ability to expand access to oral health care is affected by their licensure requirement, scope of practice, and prescription rights.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Policy makers considering dental therapy legislation must consider educational requirements and scope of practice when crafting state legislation. Broadening the scope of practice may allow for more impactful care for at-risk communities.

A dental workforce strategy to make Australian public dental services more efficient

BACKGROUND

Dental services can be provided by the oral health therapy (OHT) workforce and dentists. This study aims to quantify the potential cost-savings of increased utilisation of the OHT workforce in providing dental services for children under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). The CDBS is an Australian federal government initiative to increase dental care access for children aged 2-17 years.

METHODS

Dental services billed under the CDBS for the 2013-2014 financial year were used. Two OHT-to-dentist workforce mix ratios were tested: Model A National Workforce (1:4) and Model B Victorian Workforce (2:3). The 30% average salary difference between the two professions in the public sector was used to adjust the CDBS fee schedule for each type of service. The current 29% utilisation rate of the CDBS and the government target of 80% were modelled.

RESULTS

The estimated cost-savings under the current CDBS utilisation rate was AUD 26.5M and AUD 61.7M, for Models A and B, respectively. For the government target CDBS utilisation rate, AUD 73.2M for Model A and AUD 170.2M for Model B could be saved.

CONCLUSION

An increased utilisation of the OHT workforce to provide dental services under the CDBS would save costs on public dental service funding. The potential cost-savings can be reinvested in other dental initiatives such as outreach school-based dental check programmes or resource allocation to eliminate adult dental waiting lists in the public sector.

Medicaid Adult Dental Benefits Increase Use Of Dental Care, But Impact Of Expansion On Dental Services Use Was Mixed

Dental coverage for adult enrollees is an optional benefit under Medicaid. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia have expanded eligibility for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Millions of low-income adults have gained health care coverage and, in states offering dental benefits, oral health coverage as well. Using data for 2010 and 2014 from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we examined the impact of Medicaid adult dental coverage and eligibility expansions on low-income adults' use of dental care. We found that low-income adults in states that provided dental benefits beyond emergency-only coverage were more likely to have had a dental visit in the past year, compared to low-income adults in states without such benefits. Among states that provided dental benefits and expanded their Medicaid program, regression-based estimates suggest that childless adults had a significant increase (1.8 percentage points) in the likelihood of having had a dental visit, while parents had a significant decline (8.1 percentage points). One possible explanation for the disparity is that after expansion, newly enrolled childless adults might have exhausted the limited dental provider capacity that was available to parents before expansion. Additional policy-level efforts may be needed to expand the dental care delivery system's capacity.

PLACEMENT OF PREFORMED METAL CROWNS ON CARIOUS PRIMARY MOLARS BY DENTAL HYGIENE/THERAPY VOCATIONAL TRAINEES IN SCOTLAND: A SERVICE EVALUATION ASSESSING PATIENT AND PARENT SATISFACTION

BACKGROUND

The utility and acceptability of preformed metal crowns (PMC) for management of carious primary molars has been established in the literature and published guidance. The role of dental hygienist and therapists (DHT) in the evolving team model in primary care has been recognised as requiring further investigation. The importance of patient and parental acceptance is acknowledged in recent healthcare research.

METHOD

This study focuses on patient and parent acceptance of preformed metal crowns placed by DHTs. Prescription format is investigated and the availability of bitewing radiographs considered. Reflective assignments at the end of training gave an indication of DHTs views on increased professional autonomy and the issue of direct access. Patient and parent satisfaction following placement of PMCs by DHT vocational trainees (DHTVT) were evaluated. Data was collected in two audit rounds from 2013 to 2014 using a 'faces' scale for children and a Likert scale for parents following placement of PMCs on carious primary molars.

RESULTS

133 PMCs were placed (110 children) by 10 DHTVTs over an eight-month period. Overall, radiographs were available for 10.5% of cases. The data showed high levels of patient and parent acceptance of the use of PMCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Low availability of radiographs may represent a missed diagnostic opportunity. PMC placement by DHTVTs resulted in high patient and parent satisfaction, comparable to other studies. Although caries has been declining over the last decade in Scotland, evidence shows that inequalities and a social gradient in experience of caries in children remain. There is a need for tools and strategies for the prevention, recognition, risk assessment, diagnosis, and management of caries in the primary dentition. These must be accessible, acceptable to children and their parents/carers, cost effective, affordable and applicable in the primary care general dental practice environment where most families are likely to be registered. The emerging theme of dentistry being provided in a team model with dental care professionals (DCPs) taking on an expanded role is under continuing review following the General Dental Council (GDC) announcements on 'direct access'. The Scottish Dental Hygiene and Therapy Vocational Training (DHTVT) programme is a one-year, elective, post-qualification training programme for Dental Hygiene and Therapy graduates run by NHS Education for Scotland (NES). In 2013-2014, DHTVTs were employed across six Scottish health board areas in hospital, salaried and independent settings in urban and rural locations. The elements of the programme involve a blend of clinical mentoring, web-based learning, case presentations, critical reading, reflective assignments and face-to-face theoretical and practical teaching across a number of modules. The aim of this project was to collect data to indicate patient and parental response following the placement of PMCs, collect data on the use of radiographs in children having PMCs placed and to investigate the role of dental therapists in the dental team. The data, once collated, was presented to DHTVTs to inform reflection on the management of carious primary molars and to raise awareness of issues relating to cost effectiveness of providing treatment in a primary care environment and critically appraise perceived barriers to the use of PMCs in the treatment of carious primary molars. Collated data has been presented to trainers in future cohorts to inform discussion amongst the group of trainers at induction days around dental team working, effective detection, diagnosis, risk assessment and prescription to DHTs.

The acceptability of care provided by dental auxiliaries: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Dental auxiliaries undertaking a limited range of intraoral clinical procedures normally performed by dentists could increase access to care and control costs, yet their acceptability to patients has been questioned. The aim of this study was to assess data on the social acceptability and patient satisfaction of dental auxiliaries performing intraoral clinical procedures.

METHODS

The authors searched 14 electronic databases and 2 trial registries for studies of any design (from inception to November 2013). They searched gray literature databases (from inception to July 2014), reference lists of included studies, and high-yield journals (from January 2000 to December 2014). Risk of bias was assessed, and data were extracted.

RESULTS

The authors identified 29 studies: 25 considered experiential and 4 on social acceptability. Twenty-three were cross-sectional, 2 were qualitative, 1 was mixed-methods, and 3 had unclear methods. The authors found that patients reported high acceptability of care, comparable or better than that from dentists. Social acceptability varied, with care for children being less acceptable. One-fifth of people were unwilling to receive any treatment from a dental auxiliary. All studies were at high risk of bias, and quality of the evidence was low.

CONCLUSIONS

Experiential acceptability of dental auxiliaries by patients appeared high in this study, but their social acceptability varied.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Given the age of the studies, their settings, and their quality, generalizability to dental practices is limited. Additional high-quality, methodologically rigorous studies are needed.

Safety Net Care and Midlevel Dental Practitioners: A Case Study of the Portion of Care That Might Be Performed Under Various Setting and Scope-of-Practice Assumptions

OBJECTIVES

We sought to determine the proportion of dental care provided at safety net-type clinics that might be performed by midlevel practitioners.

METHODS

Data were obtained on 157,328 procedures performed in 2012 at the clinics associated with a Midwestern dental school. Based on procedure codes, we determined the overall proportion, as well as the proportion of visits and patients' care, that could have been performed by 3 types of practitioners.

RESULTS

Overall, 48% to 66% of all procedures could have been performed by a midlevel dental practitioner. Nearly half of all visits, and roughly a third of all patients, could have been entirely cared for by a practitioner trained in prophylaxis and with evaluation capabilities. Such practitioners could handle roughly 80% of the visits at the community-based clinic and more than half of the visits at the hospital-based clinic.

CONCLUSIONS

A midlevel practitioner with training in prophylaxis has the potential to alleviate much of the burden on the dental safety net because much of the need among vulnerable populations falls well within their scope of practice.

Dental auxiliaries for dental care traditionally provided by dentists

BACKGROUND

Poor or inequitable access to oral health care is commonly reported in high-, middle- and low-income countries. Although the severity of these problems varies, a lack of supply of dentists and their uneven distribution are important factors. Delegating care to dental auxiliaries could ease this problem, extend services to where they are unavailable and liberate time for dentists to do more complex work. Before such an approach can be advocated, it is important to know the relative effectiveness of dental auxiliaries and dentists.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness, costs and cost effectiveness of dental auxiliaries in providing care traditionally provided by dentists.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the following electronic databases from their inception dates up to November 2013: the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Group's Specialised Register; Cochrane Oral Health Group's Specialised Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 11, 2013); MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness; five other databases and two trial registries. We also undertook a grey literature search and searched the reference list of included studies and contacted authors of relevant papers.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomised controlled clinical trials (NRCTs), interrupted time series (ITSs) and controlled before and after studies (CBAs) evaluating the effectiveness of dental auxiliaries compared with dentists in undertaking clinical tasks traditionally performed by a dentist.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Three review authors independently applied eligibility criteria, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of each included study and two review authors assessed the quality of the evidence from the included studies, according to The Cochrane Collaboration's procedures. Since meta-analysis was not possible, we gave a narrative description of the results.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified five studies (one cluster RCT, three RCTs and one NRCT), evaluating the effectiveness of dental auxiliaries compared with dentists in providing dental care traditionally provided by dentists, eligible for inclusion in this review. The included studies, which involved 13 dental auxiliaries, six dentists, and more than 1156 participants, evaluated two clinical tasks/techniques: placement of preventive resin fissure sealants and the atraumatic restorative technique (ART). Two studies were conducted in the US, and one each in Canada, Gambia and Singapore.Of the four studies evaluating effectiveness in placing preventive resin fissure sealants, three found no evidence of a difference in retention rates of those placed by dental auxiliaries and dentists over a range of follow-up periods (six to 24 months). One study found that fissure sealants placed by a dental auxiliary had lower retention rates than one placed by a dentist after 48 months (9.0% with auxiliary versus 29.1% with dentist). The same study reported that the net reduction after 48 months in the number teeth exhibiting caries (dental decay) was lower for teeth treated by the dental auxiliary than the dentist (3 with auxiliary versus 60 with dentist, P value < 0.001).One study showed no evidence of a difference in dental decay after treatment with fissure sealants between groups. The one study comparing the effectiveness of dental auxiliaries and dentists in performing ART reported no difference in survival rates of the restorations (fillings) after 12 months.All studies were at high risk of bias and the overall quality of the evidence was very low, as assessed using the GRADE approach. In addition, four of the included studies were more than 20 years old; the materials used and the techniques assessed were out of date. We found no eligible studies comparing the effectiveness of dental auxiliaries and dentists in the diagnosis of oral diseases and conditions, in delivering oral health education and other aspects of health promotion, or studies assessing participants' perspectives including the acceptability of care received. None of the included studies reported adverse effects. In addition, we found no studies comparing the costs and cost-effectiveness of dental auxiliaries and dentists, their impact on access and equity of access to care that met the pre-specified inclusion criteria.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We only identified five studies for inclusion in this review, all of which were at high risk of bias and four were published more than 20 years ago, highlighting the paucity of high-quality evaluations of the relative effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and safety of dental auxiliaries compared with dentists in performing clinical tasks. No firm conclusions could be drawn from the present review about the relative effectiveness of dental auxiliaries and dentists.