A Behavior-Based Model to Validate Electronic Systems Designed to Collect Patient-Reported Outcomes: Model Development and Application.

Background: The merits of technology have been adopted in capturing patient-reported outcomes (PROs) by incorporating PROs into electronic systems. Following the development of an electronic system, evaluation of system performance is crucial to ensuring the collection of meaningful data. In contemporary PRO literature, electronic system validation is overlooked, and evidence on validation methods is lacking.

Personalised versus standard text message prompts for increasing trial participant response to telephone follow-up: an embedded randomised controlled retention trial.

Background: Improving retention within randomised controlled trials is important. The effectiveness of different strategies can be assessed using a Study Within A Trial (SWAT). Previous research has shown personalised text message reminders improve clinic attendance rates; however, the results are mixed on improving postal questionnaire return.

The MAGIC trial: a pragmatic, multicentre, parallel, noninferiority, randomised trial of melatonin versus midazolam in the premedication of anxious children attending for elective surgery under general anaesthesia.

Background: Child anxiety before general anaesthesia and surgery is common. Midazolam is a commonly used premedication to address this. Melatonin is an alternative anxiolytic, however trials evaluating its efficacy in children have delivered conflicting results.

The relationship of children's dental clinical status with school performance and school attendance in the Kingdom of Bahrain: A life-course approach.

Objectives: To examine the association between dental clinical status and school performance and school attendance in the Kingdom of Bahrain (KoB) using a life-course framework.

Methods: This time-ordered cross-sectional study included 466 school children in Grade 2 (aged 7-8 years) and their parents in the KoB. Data were collected through parents' self-administered questionnaires, children's face-to-face interviews and dental clinical examinations.

The economic impact of two diagnostic strategies in the management of restorations in primary teeth: a health economic analysis plan for a trial-based economic evaluation.

Background: Different approaches have been used by dentists to base their decision. Among them, there are the aesthetical issues that may lead to more interventionist approaches. Indeed, using a more interventionist strategy (the World Dental Federation - FDI), more replacements tend to be indicated than using a minimally invasive one (based on the Caries Around Restorations and Sealants-CARS).

CariesCare International adapted for the pandemic in children: Caries OUT multicentre single-group interventional study protocol.

Background: Comprehensive caries care has shown effectiveness in controlling caries progression and improving health outcomes by controlling caries risk, preventing initial-caries lesions progression, and patient satisfaction. To date, the caries-progression control effectiveness of the patient-centred risk-based CariesCare International (CCI) system, derived from ICCMS™ for the practice (2019), remains unproven. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic a previously planned multi-centre RCT shifted to this "Caries OUT" study, aiming to assess in a single-intervention group in children, the caries-control effectiveness of CCI adapted for the pandemic with non-aerosols generating procedures (non-AGP) and reducing in-office time.

Are oral health conditions associated with schoolchildren's performance and school attendance in the Kingdom of Bahrain? A life-course perspective.

Background: The link between oral diseases and school performance and school attendance remains unclear among Middle Eastern children.

Aim: To investigate the relationship of oral conditions with schoolchildren's school performance and attendance using the life-course approach.

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 466 schoolchildren aged 7-8 years from Kingdom of Bahrain (KoB) and their parents.

What is the most accurate method for detecting caries lesions? A systematic review.

Objective: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the performance of different methods for detecting carious lesions in permanent and primary teeth, considering all types of tooth surface.

Methods: Two reviewers searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus and other sources up to November 2020 to identify published and nonpublished studies in English. We focused on three caries detection methods: visual inspection (VI), radiographic (RX) and fluorescence-based (LF).

The FiCTION trial: Child oral health-related quality of life and dental anxiety across three treatment strategies for managing caries in young children.

Objectives: The FiCTION trial compared co-primary outcomes (dental pain and/or infection) and secondary outcomes (child oral health-related quality of life [COHRQOL], child dental anxiety, cost-effectiveness, caries development/progression and acceptability) across three treatment strategies (Conventional with Prevention [C + P]; Biological with Prevention [B + P]; Prevention Alone [PA]) for managing caries in children in primary care. COHRQOL and child dental anxiety experiences are reported upon here.

Methods: A multi-centre, 3-arm, parallel-group, unblinded patient-randomized controlled trial of 3- to 7-year-olds treated under NHS contracts was conducted in 72 general dental practices in England, Wales and Scotland.

Reproducibility of subtraction radiography in monitoring changes in approximal carious lesions in children: An in vivo study.

Background: Laboratory studies have shown that digital subtraction radiography (DSR) can be a more effective tool, than conventional radiography, in monitoring changes in carious lesions. The clinical performance of the technique, however, has not been sufficiently researched.

Aim: To compare the reproducibility of DSR to that of bitewing radiographs, in monitoring changes in approximal caries in the mixed dentition.

Best-practice prevention alone or with conventional or biological caries management for 3- to 7-year-olds: the FiCTION three-arm RCT.

Background: Historically, lack of evidence for effective management of decay in primary teeth has caused uncertainty, but there is emerging evidence to support alternative strategies to conventional fillings, which are minimally invasive and prevention orientated.

Objectives: The objectives were (1) to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three strategies for managing caries in primary teeth and (2) to assess quality of life, dental anxiety, the acceptability and experiences of children, parents and dental professionals, and caries development and/or progression.

Design: This was a multicentre, three-arm parallel-group, participant-randomised controlled trial.

Physical activity calorie expenditure (PACE) labels in worksite cafeterias: effects on physical activity.

Background: Regular physical activity is an important component of healthy living and wellbeing. Current guidelines recommend that adults participate in at least 150 min of moderate or vigorous-intensity physical activity weekly. In spite of the benefits, just over half of U.

CariesCare practice guide: consensus on evidence into practice.

This CariesCare practice guide is derived from the International Caries Classification and Management System (ICCMS) and provides a structured update for dentists to help them deliver optimal caries care and outcomes for their patients. This '4D cycle' is a practice-building format, which both prevents and controls caries and can engage patients as long-term health partners with their practice. CariesCare International (CCI™) promotes a patient-centred, risk-based approach to caries management designed for dental practice.

Fissure seal or fluoride varnish?

Data sourcesCochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, Embase, the US National Institutes of Health Trials Register and the World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Trials Registry PlatformStudy selectionRandomised controlled trials (RCTs) with at least 12 months follow-up, in which fissure sealants, or fissure sealants together with fluoride varnishes, were compared with fluoride varnishes alone for preventing caries in occlusal surfaces of permanent teeth of children and adolescents.Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers independently screened search results, extracted data and assessed risk of bias of included studies. Studies were grouped and analysed on the basis of sealant material type (resin-based sealant and glass ionomer-based sealant, glass ionomer and resin-modified glass ionomer) and different follow-up periods.

Evaluating community-based medical education programmes in Africa: A workshop report.

Background: The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) supports medical schools in Africa to increase the capacity and quality of medical education, improve retention of graduates, and promote regionally relevant research. Many MEPI programmes include elements of community-based education (CBE) such as: community placements; clinical rotations in underserved locations, community medicine, or primary health; situational analyses; or student-led research.

Methods: CapacityPlus and the MEPI Coordinating Center conducted a workshop to share good practices for CBE evaluation, identify approaches that can be used for CBE evaluation in the African context, and strengthen a network of CBE collaborators.

Community-based education programs in Africa: faculty experience within the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) network.

Purpose: This paper examines the various models, challenges, and evaluative efforts of community-based education (CBE) programs at Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) schools and makes recommendations to strengthen those programs in the African context.

Methods: Data were gathered from 12 MEPI schools through self-completion of a standardized questionnaire on goals, activities, challenges, and evaluation of CBE programs over the study period, from November to December 2013. Data were analyzed manually through the collation of inputs from the schools included in the survey.

Time to treatment and patient outcomes among TB suspects screened by a single point-of-care xpert MTB/RIF at a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Introduction: In December 2010, the World Health Organization recommended a single Xpert MTB/RIF assay as the initial diagnostic in people suspected of HIV-associated or drug resistant tuberculosis. Few data are available on the impact of this recommendation on patient outcomes. We describe the diagnostic follow-up, clinical characteristics and outcomes of a cohort of tuberculosis suspects screened using a single point-of-care Xpert.

Caries management pathways preserve dental tissues and promote oral health.

In May 2012, cariologists, dentists, representatives of dental organizations, manufacturers, and third party payers from several countries, met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to define a common mission; goals and strategic approaches for caries management in the 21th century. The workshop started with an address by Mr. Stanley Bergman, CEO of Henry Schein Inc.

The use of micro-Raman spectroscopy to differentiate between sound and eroded primary enamel.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate differences in phosphate group concentration between areas of sound and eroded enamel in primary teeth using micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS).

Methods: The Raman spectroscopic technique enables researchers to obtain information about molecules by analysing scattered light caused by monochromatic laser excitation. Ten extracted anterior primary teeth with areas of sound and eroded enamel were used.

Quality of trials in a systematic review of powered toothbrushes: suggestions for future clinical trials.

Background: This study aimed to assess the quality of reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing manual and powered toothbrushes and provide advice on how future trials might be improved.

Methods: Studies were identified in the Cochrane systematic review of RCTs comparing powered versus manual toothbrushes. Reports were assessed against predefined criteria on the design of the studies to determine the effectiveness of the brushes in everyday home use and on their methodological quality.

Predicting the experience of dentinal caries or restorative dental treatment in adolescents using D1 and D3 visual caries assessments.

Standardised epidemiological caries assessments used in oral health surveys have been shown to be poor at predicting whether a tooth surface will be treated restoratively when a patient visits a dentist. However, it has been argued that oral health surveys may be more relevant in determining needs at the level of an individual or groups of individuals. The objective of this study was to determine the discriminatory power of visual caries assessments at two thresholds (D1 & D3) in adolescents of average age 12.