Surveys of health professionals typically have low response rates, and these rates have been decreasing in the recent years. We report on the methods used in a successful survey of dentist members of the National Dental Practice–Based Research Network. The objectives were to quantify the (1) increase in response rate associated with successive survey methods, (2) time to completion with each successive step, (3) contribution from the final method and personal contact, and (4) differences in response rate and mode of response by practice/practitioner characteristics. Dentist members of the network were mailed an invitation describing the study. Subsequently, up to six recruitment steps were followed: initial e-mail, two e-mail reminders at 2-week intervals, a third e-mail reminder with postal mailing a paper questionnaire, a second postal mailing of paper questionnaire, and staff follow-up. Of the 1,876 invited, 160 were deemed ineligible and 1,488 (87% of 1,716 eligible) completed the survey. Completion by step: initial e-mail, 35%; second e-mail, 15%; third e-mail, 7%; fourth e-mail/first paper, 11%; second paper, 15%; and staff follow-up, 16%. Overall, 76% completed the survey online and 24% on paper. Completion rates increased in absolute numbers and proportionally with later methods of recruitment. Participation rates varied little by practice/practitioner characteristics. Completion on paper was more likely by older dentists. Multiple methods of recruitment resulted in a high participation rate: Each step and method produced incremental increases with the final step producing the largest increase.
This article presents the demographic data for 91 doctors and 347 adult AOB patients, as well as the practitioners' self-reported treatment preferences.
Introduction: Anterior openbite (AOB) continues to be a challenging malocclusion for orthodontists to treat and retain long-term. There are many orthodontic treatment modalities used to treat AOB in adult patients, but there is no consensus on which modalities are most successful. This study aims to identify the overall success rate of AOB orthodontic treatment in the adult population across the United States, as well as factors that influence treatment success. Methods: Practitioners and their adult AOB patients were recruited through the National Dental PBRN. Patient dentofacial and demographic characteristics, practitioner demographic and practice characteristics, and factors relating to orthodontic treatment were reported. Treatment success was determined from post-treatment lateral cephalometric films and intraoral frontal photos. Treatment was categorized into four main groups: aligners, fixed appliances, TADs and orthognathic surgery. Extractions were also evaluated. Univariate and multivariate models were used to evaluate how treatment success varies with treatment modality, pre-treatment dentofacial characteristics, and patient and practitioner demographic and practice characteristics. Results: End of active treatment data was collected from 84 practitioners and 254 patients. Eighty four percent of patients finished with positive vertical overlap of all incisors and 93% with positive overbite on the post-treatment lateral cephalogram. While there were no statistically significant differences in success rates between the treatment groups, patients treated with orthognathic surgery had an increased odds for success when compared to those treated with fixed appliances only. Treatment success was also associated with academic practice setting, pre-treatment IMPA £90°, no to mild pre-treatment crowding, and treatment duration < 30 months. Conclusion: The success of orthodontic treatment in adult AOB patients who participated in this study was very high. While there was a range of success for the major treatment modalities, orthognathic surgery was the only treatment modality that reached statistically significance. There were some pre-treatment dentofacial characteristics and treatment factors associated with successful closure of AOB. I would like thank the University of Washington Department of Orthodontics and the University of Washington Orthodontic Alumni Association for this wonderful opportunity and academically fulfilling experience. Thank you to my research committee members, Greg Huang, Geoffrey Greenlee, and Andrea Burke, for your mentorship and guidance. I would also like to give a special thank you to my research partner, Sam Finkleman. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for my family and friends for all their support.
BackgroundThe oral microbiota has been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis through activation of mucosal immunity. This study tested for associations between oral health, microbial communities and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).MethodsA cross-sectional exploratory study of subjects aged 10–18 years with oligoarticular, extended oligoarticular and polyarticular JIA was conducted. Control groups included pediatric dental clinic patients and healthy volunteers. The primary aim was to test for an association between dental health indices and JIA; the secondary aim was to characterize the microbial profile of supragingival plaque using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.ResultsThe study included 85 patients with JIA, 62 dental patients and 11 healthy child controls. JIA patients overall had significantly more gingival inflammation compared to dental patients, as evidenced by bleeding on probing of the gingiva, the most specific sign of active inflammation (p = 0.02). Overall, however, there was a trend towards better dental hygiene in the JIA patients compared to dental patients, based on indices for plaque, decay, and periodontitis. In the JIA patients, plaque microbiota analysis revealed bacteria belonging to genera Haemophilus or Kingella elevated, and Corynebacterium underrepresented. In poly JIA, bacteria belonging to the genus Porphyromonas was overrepresented and Prevotella was underrepresented.ConclusionIncreased gingival inflammation in JIA was independent of general oral health, and thus cannot be attributed to poor dental hygiene secondary to disability. The variation of microbial profile in JIA patients could indicate a possible link between gingivitis and synovial inflammation.
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