JDR Clinical & Translational Research最新文献

{"title":"The Medical Necessity of Orthodontic Care: A Qualitative Study.","authors":"D Richmond, H Benzian, J Daskalogiannakis, A Holden, C Quiñonez","doi":"10.1177/23800844251355270","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23800844251355270","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>As global momentum builds for universal health coverage (UHC), it is unclear whether orthodontic care should be included in UHC packages. The concept of medically necessary orthodontic care (MNOC) and its criteria thus have far-reaching implications for priority setting and resource allocation in public and private oral health care programs.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To identify factors that contribute to the determination of MNOC based on perspectives from leaders of dental professional organizations, academics, clinicians, funders, patient advocates, and patients from 7 countries: Canada, United States, Germany, Greece, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Australia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative description design was used with semi-structured virtual interviews conducted via Zoom from November 2021 to August 2022. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed for themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sixteen interviews were conducted. Participants described their concept of MNOC through 4 interrelated categories: (1) dental factors including dental health, the goals of treatment, and methods of needs assessment; (2) medical factors including the meaning of medical necessity, systemic health considerations, and treatment of craniofacial anomalies; (3) psychosocial factors including societal standards of beauty, social functioning, and mental health; and (4) funding factors including resource allocation considerations and the goals of funding.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The diversity of factors identified highlights the complex interplay between the dental profession, funders of care, society, and individual patients in understanding MNOC. Given this complexity, MNOC is arguably not amenable to a concise definition or list of criteria. Instead, a decision-making process that incorporates key actor perspectives can enhance transparency, fairness, and accountability in priority setting and resource allocation as related to MNOC and medically necessary oral health care more broadly. This approach would ensure coverage for those with demonstrated need in the context of health, well-being, and quality of life.Knowledge Transfer Statement:This study provides critical insights into the dental, medical, psychosocial, and funding factors that influence the meaning of medically necessary orthodontic care (MNOC) from the perspectives of key actors in 7 high-income countries. The findings reveal that MNOC cannot be defined by a simple set of criteria. Instead, determinations of MNOC should be made through a decision-making process that incorporates a wide array of viewpoints. This approach ensures transparent and fair resource allocation, improving access to essential orthodontic services, thereby enhancing patient health and well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":" ","pages":"23800844251355270"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144659282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Barriers and Facilitators for Accessing Oral Health Care for Ukrainian Newcomers to Nova Scotia.","authors":"H Doucette, Y Tylchak, S Saad, V D'Souza","doi":"10.1177/23800844251352395","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23800844251352395","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The war in Ukraine has resulted in a mass exodus of Ukrainians fleeing their country and seeking resettlement in many countries, including Canada. There is a lack of literature, particularly qualitative, that explores past experiences with oral health care in the country of origin for newcomers and the experience of access and utilization of oral health care once in Canada. The increase in Ukrainian newcomers to Canada requires an exploration of barriers and facilitators to oral health care access to inform policy.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore the barriers and facilitators to oral health care experienced by Ukrainian newcomers during resettlement in Nova Scotia, Canada.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study used a narrative qualitative methodology. Adult Ukrainian newcomers who arrived in Canada after the Russian invasion in 2022 were recruited via social media and through recruitment flyers advertised at the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia. They were interviewed between February 17 and July 1, 2023, in the Ukrainian language. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed via inductive and deductive line-by-line coding per the thematic analysis method. Codes were grouped to form categories and themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants identified facilitators to oral health care that included friends and family, social networks, and information provided through the workplace. Barriers to access included cost, referral process, location and wait times for specialists, language, and lack of understanding the oral health care and dental insurance systems in Canada.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Ukrainian newcomers to Nova Scotia face several barriers to oral health care access. Interventions to address these barriers should be considered to ensure equitable access to oral health care services during the resettlement process.Knowledge Transfer Statement:The results of this study may be used to inform policy to facilitate timely access to oral health care for Ukrainian newcomers. The findings may also guide professionals when providing oral health care services to Ukrainian newcomers. Addressing the barriers and maximizing the facilitators to oral health care services for this population could help to improve access to oral health care services and oral health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":" ","pages":"23800844251352395"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144659217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Estimating the Causal Effect of Tooth Loss on the Critical Outcome of COVID-19.","authors":"N Su, J P T F Ho, M Ceylan, A M E Schorer, H C M Donders, T L T Klausch, J de Lange, B G Loos","doi":"10.1177/23800844251353103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23800844251353103","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this study is to estimate the causal effect of tooth loss on the critical outcome of COVID-19, using 3 different propensity score methods. This retrospective study included patients aged >35 y with a diagnosis of COVID-19 between January 2020 and July 2021 at 2 hospitals in the Netherlands. The independent variable was number of teeth, dichotomized into 0 to 20 teeth (treatment) and 21 to 28 teeth (control). The critical outcome of COVID-19 (intensive care unit [ICU] admission and/or death) was the dependent variable. Potential confounders included patients' demographics, lifestyle habits, medical conditions, COVID-19-related parameters, and hospitals. Three different propensity score methods were used to balance the baseline characteristics between the treatment and control groups: including propensity score matching (PSM), inverse propensity score weighting (IPW), and marginal mean weighting through stratification (MMWS). Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the causal association between tooth loss and the critical outcome of COVID-19 after the propensity methods. A total of 399 patients were included in the analyses. The multivariate logistic regression analysis controlling for the confounders revealed a statistically significant association between tooth loss and the critical outcome of COVID-19 across all the 3 propensity score methods: PSM (causal risk ratio [cRR]: 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-3.74; <i>P</i> = 0.03), MMWS (cRR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.07-2.06; <i>P</i> = 0.03), and IPW (cRR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.09-3.15; <i>P</i> = 0.02). Tooth loss has a statistically significant causal effect on the critical outcome of COVID-19. Patients with fewer teeth have a higher risk of ICU admission or mortality due to COVID-19.Knowledge Transfer Statement:The findings of this study can help clinicians and policymakers recognize the important role of oral health in COVID-19 prognosis. By encouraging health care professionals to integrate oral health assessments into comprehensive evaluations, the study promotes more accurate risk stratification for COVID-19 prognosis. This enables early interventions and better management of high-risk patients, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes by preventing critical outcomes of COVID-19 and enhancing patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":" ","pages":"23800844251353103"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144649489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Developing a Basic Package of Oral Care Training Program for Primary Health Care Nurses.","authors":"G Kaguru, R Mutave, R Ayah, P Karimi, C Mugambi","doi":"10.1177/23800844251346768","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23800844251346768","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Nurses are key in the delivery of the basic package of oral care in the primary health care system. Whereas oral health care training is essential for apt oral care delivery, the scope and training approaches for the primary health care nurse are not well established. A mentorship approach has rarely been explored for oral health training.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to develop a basic package of oral health care training program for primary health care nurses in Kenya. It also evaluated and compared the effects of workshop and mentorship approaches on a basic package of oral care training outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation (ADDIE) instructional model was used to develop the training program. This used a scoping review approach to inform the design and development stages of the training. Implementation followed a quasi-experimental design to deliver a 1-y postworkshop mentorship program (experiment) against a workshop-only (control) group. The Kirkpatrick framework was used for evaluation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A training program with 7 learning areas and 37 subtopics covering nurses' basic package of oral care tasks was developed and evaluated. Summative analysis included 67 nurses (experiment, <i>n</i> = 33; control, <i>n</i> = 34) and 1,128 parents (experiment, <i>n</i> = 570; control, <i>n</i> = 558). Improvement was noted in nurses' overall knowledge (47.9% to 64.7%), confidence (77.3% to 92.2%), and oral health care services delivery (0.3% to 35.8%). Overall parental child oral health practices improved from 31.3% to 44.4%. The experiment group exhibited significantly higher scores for confidence, oral health care services delivery, and parental child oral health practices. Longitudinal decay in knowledge and confidence was lower in the experiment group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A basic package of oral health care training program for primary health care nurses in Kenya was successfully developed and evaluated. For all outcomes evaluated, the mentorship approach yielded better results than the workshop approach did. These results highlight mentorship as an integral component in a basic package of oral care training.Knowledge Transfer Statement:This study of primary health care nurses in Kenya provides insights to inform oral health and primary health care policy makers about oral health education, oral urgent treatment, referral, and oral health service documentation training requirements. It shows how planning and prioritization for in-service oral health training sessions could be maximized with limited resources. It also demonstrates the benefit of a mentorship training approach over a workshop-only approach to ensure optimal outcomes of oral health indicators.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":" ","pages":"23800844251346768"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144618099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cascade of Care in Pediatric Oral Health: A Cross-sectional Study to Assess Care Utilization.","authors":"D Bahdila, H Alhazmi, A S Alfarsi, L Y Alzahrani, A I Koumu, R H Alshaikh, S O Khalifa, Z S Natto","doi":"10.1177/23800844251347914","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23800844251347914","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The cascade of care (COC) approach assesses key stages in care, including screening, diagnosis, treatment, and control. It has been applied to communicable and noncommunicable diseases but is yet to be used in oral health.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To adapt the COC framework for pediatric oral health and apply it in a cross-sectional study of schoolchildren in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to assess dental needs, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A 2-stage process was used to first adapt the 4-step COC model for pediatric dental needs and to produce a survey questionnaire. Stratified random sampling was then used to recruit children in grades 4 to 6 in primary schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from October 2023 to January 2024. Parents completed COC questions, and children completed dental examinations. Descriptive statistics and multilevel logistic regression models were used to assess outcomes, including unmet dental needs in context.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 783 schoolchildren from 11 primary schools were included in the cross-sectional study. The largest loss of care occurred at the treatment stage, where 41.3% of those who had visited a dentist and were diagnosed had completed their treatment. Children who had not visited a dentist in >12 mo were less likely to be diagnosed, complete treatment, or receive follow-up care when compared with those who had seen a dentist within 12 mo ( <u>P</u> < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study is the first to adapt and apply the COC framework in pediatric oral health. The total unmet dental need was high, particularly for children visiting the dentist for symptomatic reasons (i.e., pain or extraction). This model lays the groundwork for more targeted assessments at national or subnational levels.Knowledge Transfer Statement:This is the first time that the cascade of care (COC) approach has been adapted and applied in a pediatric oral health case study in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to understand gaps in children's dental care. It showed how the COC can highlight where systems might be underperforming and where additional data are needed. Introducing the COC framework in pediatric oral health could improve data collection across key stages of care, such as access, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":" ","pages":"23800844251347914"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144540257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Survey of Pediatric Dentist and Resident HPV Anticipatory Guidance.","authors":"K A Jang, M N Janal, E A Best, L M Feldman","doi":"10.1177/23800844251328680","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23800844251328680","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To evaluate pediatric dentists' and dental residents' knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward human papillomavirus (HPV) education and vaccination anticipatory guidance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The survey instrument was adapted from Patton et al. with permission from the American Dental Association (ADA) (copyright © 2020 ADA. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission) and emailed to practicing American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) member pediatric dentists and dental residents between February and March 2023. Descriptive data analyses were conducted to evaluate correlations between knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward HPV anticipatory guidance, including the impact of the politicization of the COVID-19 vaccine.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 7,960 surveys sent, the total response rate was 7.7%. Only 6.3% of respondents regularly provide HPV vaccination anticipatory guidance, and 56.8% never discuss the HPV vaccine. Those who practice in an academic dental school setting were almost 4 times more likely and those who felt they had adequate training and knowledge or who have an electronic health record prompt for HPV vaccine status were 2 times more likely to provide regular HPV anticipatory guidance. Other correlates with increased regular provision of HPV anticipatory guidance were older age, greater knowledge, awareness of the age recommendations for HPV vaccination, familiarity with the ADA or AAPD policy statements, and greater comfort (indicated by a lower comfort score).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The survey results suggest pediatric dentists and pediatric dental residents rarely provide HPV anticipatory guidance, a missed public health opportunity for increasing vaccination rates and an opportunity for dental educators.Knowledge Transfer Statement:This article aims to inform dentists and dental educators about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine anticipatory guidance.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":"10 1_suppl","pages":"67S-75S"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144316898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interprofessional Dental Care: An International Perspective.","authors":"S P Zusman, C Paganelli","doi":"10.1177/23800844251328661","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23800844251328661","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The COVID-19 pandemic enhanced the known importance of good interprofessional communication and cooperation to ensure proper patient care. In dentistry, there is often no proper integration across teaching, research, and care. There is too little communication and cooperation among the members of the dental team and the health care team in general. There is a critical need to improve coordination and cooperation among dental professionals and with medical professionals in general. Health in all policies should include addressing interprofessional medical and dental care at all stages of professional human resource training and service planning. Dentists should play a leadership role since they are frontline professionals in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of oral and systemic diseases.Knowledge Transfer Statement:Postgraduate dental training programs can use the recommendations from this article to improve clinical teaching and ensure the education and competency of dental residents.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":"10 1_suppl","pages":"11S-16S"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144316916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect Modification by Obesity on Nonsurgical Periodontal Treatment.","authors":"E Kaye, R McDonough, A Singhal, R I Garcia, M Jurasic","doi":"10.1177/23800844241276863","DOIUrl":"10.1177/23800844241276863","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Obesity is associated with increased periodontal disease prevalence and incidence. This retrospective cohort study examined whether body mass index (BMI) is an effect modifier of periodontal treatment outcomes in patients attending an urban dental school clinic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were extracted from electronic health records of 344 patients at a large urban dental school clinic who had at least 1 tooth with a probing pocket depth (PD) ≥5 mm at baseline and who subsequently received nonsurgical periodontal treatment. BMI was computed from self-reported weight and height and categorized as obese (≥30 kg/m²), overweight (25-29.9 kg/m²), or healthy (18-24.9 kg/m²). The primary treatment outcome of interest was defined as having no teeth with PD ≥5 mm in a quadrant on follow-up after nonsurgical periodontal therapy. That outcome was considered to represent treatment success in this study. Secondary outcomes included changes in mean PD and clinical attachment loss (CAL). Analyses included 879 treated quadrants among 344 patients (185 males, 159 females; mean age 49 ± 12 y at baseline; mean posttreatment follow-up of 6 ± 2 mo). Clinical outcomes in patients who were overweight or obese were compared to healthy-weight patients using generalized linear models for binary or continuous outcomes, accounting for clustering within patients. Covariates were age, gender, tobacco use, history of diabetes, insurance type, and number of baseline sites ≥5 mm.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Obesity was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of successful nonsurgical treatment (odds ratio = 0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.88) than healthy weight. Being overweight was not associated with treatment success. Posttreatment reductions in the percentage of sites with pockets ≥5 mm and CAL ≥5 mm were greater in patients with healthy weight as compared to those either overweight or obese. However, posttreatment changes in mean PD and CAL did not differ among the BMI groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Obesity adversely modifies the effectiveness of nonsurgical periodontal treatment among dental school clinic patients.Knowledge Transfer Statement:The results of this study may be used by dental providers to better understand and manage periodontal therapy in patients with obesity. Furthermore, patients will be better informed about their therapeutic options and outcome success.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":" ","pages":"324-332"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142390666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"National Dental Faculty Development Center.","authors":"S McLaren","doi":"10.1177/23800844251328653","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23800844251328653","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The National Dental Faculty Development Center, funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, was developed and implemented by faculty at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health and the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Programs like this are critically needed, as many dental faculty positions remain unfilled across the United States. This initiative aims to address these shortages by providing junior faculty at dental schools with a first-of-its-kind center dedicated to preparing them as interprofessional clinical educators in today's evolving dental education landscape.Knowledge Transfer Statement:The recommendations from this article can be used by dental school leadership to improve junior faculty mentoring and increase dental faculty retention at their school.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":"10 1_suppl","pages":"25S-29S"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144316918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Benefits of Dental Scaling and Polishing in Adults: A Rapid Review and Evidence Synthesis.","authors":"D C Matthews, H Al-Waeli","doi":"10.1177/23800844241271684","DOIUrl":"10.1177/23800844241271684","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This rapid review assessed evidence to inform policy on the clinical effectiveness and optimal frequency of dental scaling and polishing (S&P) for adults, including those with low incomes eligible for the Canadian Dental Care Plan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A rapid review was conducted according to Cochrane Recommendations for Rapid Reviews. Populations included all adults, adults with periodontitis, and those with inequitable access to dental care. Primary outcomes included gingival inflammation, probing depths, and tooth loss. Secondary outcomes included oral health-related quality of life and economic impact. Four databases were searched for randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, cohort studies, and practice guidelines. Risk of bias was evaluated using Cochrane Risk of Bias, Newcastle-Ottawa, ROBIS, and AGREE II tools. A qualitative synthesis was planned.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 3,181 references were retrieved: 4 applied to \"all adults\" and 4 to those with periodontitis. All reports had low risk of bias. One systematic review and one multicenter trial of adults with regular dental care found no clinical benefit regardless of S&P interval; however, patients valued and were willing to pay for regular scaling. One claims-based study reported regular S&P reduced tooth loss, and 2 clinical practice guidelines found a reduced risk of future attachment and tooth loss, lower overall health care costs for diabetes, and reduced costs for and incidence of acute myocardial infarction in those with regular S&P. There were no studies of underserved populations.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>For adults with no or early periodontal disease and regular access to dental care, routine S&P may have little clinical benefit but reduces tooth loss and some health care expenses. In patients with periodontitis, scaling intervals tailored to individual risk profile and periodontal status can maintain health. There is no evidence on the impact of routine S&P on patients with barriers accessing care.Knowledge Transfer Statement:In terms of the benefits of routine scaling and polishing in adults, this rapid review found mixed evidence with a high level of certainty due to minimal risk of bias in the appraised studies for \"regular dental attenders\" and those with a diagnosis of periodontal diseases. Tailored intervals for dental scaling are beneficial for those diagnosed with periodontitis but may not provide the clinical benefits previously expected for adults at low risk. There is no evidence that dental polishing is effective. No evidence was found to support recommendations about the clinical effectiveness of scaling or the most appropriate recall intervals for scaling for low-income Canadians eligible for dental services under the new Canadian Dental Care Plan.</p>","PeriodicalId":14783,"journal":{"name":"JDR Clinical & Translational Research","volume":" ","pages":"269-281"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12166143/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142390665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}