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.

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Based on this preliminary data, we conclude that rough surface design short dental implants (6 and 8 mm in length) have similar success rate when compared to 11-mm implants. Long-term data with larger number of implants and subjects are needed to confirm these results.

Background Data on barriers and facilitators to prenatal oral health care among low-income US women are lacking. The objective of this study was to understand barriers/facilitators and patient-centered mitigation strategies related to the use of prenatal oral health care among underserved US women. Methods We used community-based participatory research to conduct two focus groups with eight pregnant/parenting women; ten individual in-depth interviews with medical providers, dental providers and community/social workers; and one community engagement studio with five representative community stakeholders in 2018–2019. Using an interpretive description research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups which were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content. Results We identified individual and systemic barriers/facilitators to the utilization of prenatal oral health care by underserved US women. Strategies reported to improve utilization included healthcare system-wide changes to promote inter-professional collaborations, innovative educational programs to improve dissemination and implementation of prenatal oral health care guidelines, and specialized dental facilities providing prenatal oral health care to underserved women. Moreover, smartphones have the potential to be an innovative entry point to promote utilization of prenatal oral care at the individual level. Conclusions Low-income women face multiple, addressable barriers to obtaining oral health care during pregnancy. Inter-professional collaboration holds strong promise for improving prenatal oral health care utilization.

Objective: Although mitis-salivarius-bacitracin (MSB) agar is a commonly used selective medium for detecting Streptococcus mutans in clinical studies, non-S. mutans microorganisms are cultivatable on MSB agar. Since few studies have identified non-S. mutans bacteria grown on MSB, this study aimed to identify and differentiate MSB-grown non-S. mutans bacteria from predente infants' oral cavity. Study design: The saliva from 51 predente infants were plated on MSB agars. Bacteria colonies were characterized based on their morphology under direct visualization and light microscopic observation. Colony PCR targeting S. mutans htrA locus and 16S rRNA DNA sequencing were used for further bacteria identification. Results: Overall, 80% of the predente infants had oral bacteria grown on the MSB agar. Nine bacteria were identified, including S. mutans, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella quasi-pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter kobei, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus hominis, Streptococcus anginosus and Phytobacter. The most frequently detected bacteria were S. epidermidis (41.5%), followed by E. kobei (24.4%), K. pneumoniae (17.1%) and S. mutans (9.8%.) Conclusions: Multiple non-S. mutans bacteria from infants' oral cavity could grow on MSB agar. Caution should be exercised in counting the colony forming units of S. mutans from oral samples on MSB agar to avoid overestimation by assuming that all colonies on the MSB agar are S. mutans. Using the colony morphological guide we summarized, these non-S. mutans bacteria could be distinguished from S. mutans. Our study provides a key reference to pediatric cariology clinical-epidemiological studies that commonly use MSB to identify/quantify S. mutans in infants and young children.

Aim Our objectives were to describe the approach used in the National Dental Practice‐Based Research Network to capture patient‐reported outcomes and to compare electronic and paper modes of data capture in a specific network study. Methods This was a prospective, multicenter cohort study of 1862 patients with dentin hypersensitivity. Patient‐reported outcomes were assessed based on patients’ perception of pain using Visual Analog Scales and Labeled Magnitude scales at baseline and at 1, 4 and 8 weeks post‐baseline. Results Eighty‐five percent of study patients chose to complete follow‐up assessments via an electronic mode; 15% completed them via a paper mode. There was not a significant difference in the proportions of patients who completed the 8‐week assessment when comparing the electronic mode to the paper mode (92% vs. 90.8%, P = 0.31, Rao‐Scott clustered χ2‐test). Conclusion The electronic mode of data capture was as operational as the traditional paper mode, while also providing the advantage of eliminating data entry errors, not involving site research coordinators in measuring the patient‐reported outcomes, and not incurring cost and potential delays due to mailing study forms. Electronic data capture of patient reported outcomes could be successfully implemented in the community dental practice setting.

Objectives: Data on barriers and facilitators to prenatal oral health care among low-income US women are lacking. The objective of this study was to understand barriers/facilitators and patient-centered mitigation strategies related to use of prenatal oral health care among underserved US women.Methods: We used community-based participatory research to conduct two focus groups with eight pregnant/parenting women; ten individual in-depth interviews with medical providers, dental providers and community/social workers; and one community engagement studio with five representative community stakeholders in 2018-2019. Using an interpretive description research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups, which were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content.Results: We identified individual and systemic barriers/facilitators to utilization of prenatal oral health care by underserved US women. Strategies reported to improve utilization included healthcare system-wide change to promote inter-professional collaborations, innovative educational programs to improve dissemination and implementation of prenatal oral health care guidelines, and specialized dental facilities providing prenatal oral health care to underserved groups. Furthermore, use of smartphones offers an innovative entry point to promote utilization of prenatal oral care at the individual level.Conclusions for practice: Low-income women face multiple, addressable barriers to receipt of oral health care during pregnancy. Inter-professional collaboration holds strong promise for improving prenatal oral health care utilization.

Background: Data on barriers and facilitators to prenatal oral health care among low-income US women are lacking. The objective of this study was to understand barriers/facilitators and patient-centered mitigation strategies related to use of prenatal oral health care among underserved US women.Methods: We used community-based participatory research to conduct two focus groups with eight pregnant/parenting women; ten individual in-depth interviews with medical providers, dental providers and community/social workers; and one community engagement studio with five representative community stakeholders in 2018-2019. Using an interpretive description research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups, which were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content.Results: We identified individual and systemic barriers/facilitators to utilization of prenatal oral health care by underserved US women. Strategies reported to improve utilization included healthcare system-wide change to promote inter-professional collaborations, innovative educational programs to improve dissemination and implementation of prenatal oral health care guidelines, and specialized dental facilities providing prenatal oral health care to underserved groups. Furthermore, use of smartphones offers an innovative entry point to promote utilization of prenatal oral care at the individual level. Conclusions: Low-income women face multiple, addressable barriers to receipt of oral health care during pregnancy. Inter-professional collaboration holds strong promise for improving prenatal oral health care utilization.