The purpose of this implementation science study is to determine whether Deliberative Loops are effective in increasing providers' adherence to the non-cavitated caries component of the American Dental Association's pit-and-fissure sealant evidence-based clinical practice guideline. The investigators use a stepped wedge design to randomly assign dental clinics to the Deliberative Loop intervention. In a Deliberative Loop, stakeholders receive background information, participate in a facilitated discussion, and share their views with leadership. The Deliberative Loop intervention is designed to help stakeholders form informed opinions; in this study, stakeholders will be forming informed opinions about the implementation interventions they think will increase their clinic's adherence to the guideline. The investigators hypothesize that compared with the pre-intervention period, following the intervention, providers will place or treatment plan sealants for significantly more occlusal non-cavitated carious lesions.
The purpose of this implementation science study is to determine whether Deliberative Loops are effective in increasing providers' adherence to the non-cavitated caries component of the American Dental Association's pit-and-fissure sealant evidence-based clinical practice guideline. The investigators use a stepped wedge design to randomly assign dental clinics to the Deliberative Loop intervention. In a Deliberative Loop, stakeholders receive background information, participate in a facilitated discussion, and share their views with leadership. The Deliberative Loop intervention is designed to help stakeholders form informed opinions; in this study, stakeholders will be forming informed opinions about the implementation interventions they think will increase their clinic's adherence to the guideline. The investigators hypothesize that compared with the pre-intervention period, following the intervention, providers will place or treatment plan sealants for significantly more occlusal non-cavitated carious lesions (NCCL). All persons employed by Kaiser Permanente Northwest or Permanente Dental Associates and who work in a Kaiser Permanente Northwest dental clinic at any level \[e.g., part time, full time\] will be eligible to participate in the study. This includes both service providers and front-of-the-house staff, approximately 1,200 employees. This is a Stage III study. Participating sites include the 16 general dental clinics of Kaiser Permanente Northwest. All clinics are located within the United States. The estimated time from when the study opens to enrollment until completion of data collection is 16 months. It will take approximately one to two months for each individual participant to complete all study-related tasks, depending on how soon after the introductory session the Deliberative session can be scheduled.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
896
The investigators will give background information to the stakeholders before they engage in the Deliberative session. Stakeholders from a given clinic will come together for a Deliberative session (i.e., facilitated conversation), enabling them to hear the full range of perspectives held by their fellow colleagues and to share their own perspective regarding how best to implement the guideline in small-group discussions. Following the Deliberative session, each stakeholder will have the opportunity to record their opinions regarding possible implementation interventions. The investigators will share these opinions with the clinic's decision-makers to help guide their decision-making about which implementation interventions to deploy. If a stakeholder happens to be absent the day of their clinic's Deliberative session, they will still have the opportunity to complete the survey.
Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research
Portland, Oregon, United States
Change in Providers' Rates of Placing or Treatment Planning Sealants for Occlusal NCCLs
The change in the providers' rates of placing or treatment planning sealants for occlusal NCCLs from before to after clinic stakeholders are exposed to the Deliberative Loop intervention
Time frame: from one month before the first step to two months after the final step, 1 year.
Total Program Costs
Program costs: Total intervention costs. Program cost analysis conducted for the Deliberative Loop (DL) intervention using an opportunity cost approach. Program costs were estimated for the DL intervention (Workbook development - including the guideline, EHR data analyses, initial practitioner survey, and evidence review - and printing; Online DL session facilitator training and delivery, and program tailoring; dental office staff time; costs for implemented strategies, if applicable; and allowed charges for dental sealant placements). All costs are reported in 2021 dollars. The study analysis period was Jan 1-Dec 31, 2021, and in 16 clinics during 2021.
Time frame: from planning the survey to gather background information to two months after the final step; an average of 1 year
Cost Per Clinic
Program costs: Cost per clinic
Time frame: from planning the survey to gather background information to two months after the final step; an average of 1 year
Cost Per Member Per Month (PMPM)
Total intervention costs per member per month. Program cost analysis conducted for the Deliberative Loop (DL) intervention using an opportunity cost approach. Program costs were estimated for the DL intervention (Workbook development - including the guideline, EHR data analyses, initial practitioner survey, and evidence review - and printing; Online DL session facilitator training and delivery, and program tailoring; dental office staff time; costs for implemented strategies, if applicable; and allowed charges for dental sealant placements). All costs are reported in 2021 dollars. The study analysis period was Jan 1-Dec 31, 2021, and in 16 clinics during 2021. There were 265,200 members age 6 years or more on January 1, 2021, or a total of 3,182,400 member months.
Time frame: from planning the survey to gather background information to two months after the final step; an average of 1 year
Annualized Costs for Guideline Implementation Interventions
Program costs: Annualized costs for guideline implementation interventions
Time frame: from planning the survey to gather background information to two months after the final step; an average of 1 year
NCCL Treatment Costs- Total Program Costs Per Sealant
Total intervention costs per sealant. Program cost analysis conducted for the Deliberative Loop (DL) intervention using an opportunity cost approach. Program costs were estimated for the DL intervention (Workbook development - including the guideline, EHR data analyses, initial practitioner survey, and evidence review - and printing; Online DL session facilitator training and delivery, and program tailoring; dental office staff time; costs for implemented strategies, if applicable; and allowed charges for dental sealant placements). All costs are reported in 2021 dollars. The study analysis period was Jan 1-Dec 31, 2021, and in 16 clinics during 2021. There were 95 sealants placed during the intervention period at 16 clinics.
Time frame: from planning the survey to gather background information to two months after the final step; an average of 1 year
NCCL Treatment Costs- Total Program Costs Per Sealant Per Clinic
Program costs: NCCL treatment costs- Total program costs per sealant per clinic
Time frame: from planning the survey to gather background information to two months after the final step; an average of 1 year
NCCL Treatment Costs- Per Sealant Per Member Per Month (PMPM)
Total intervention costs per sealant per member per month. Program cost analysis conducted for the Deliberative Loop (DL) intervention using an opportunity cost approach. Program costs were estimated for the DL intervention (Workbook development - including the guideline, EHR data analyses, initial practitioner survey, and evidence review - and printing; Online DL session facilitator training and delivery, and program tailoring; dental office staff time; costs for implemented strategies, if applicable; and allowed charges for dental sealant placements). All costs are reported in 2021 dollars. The study analysis period was Jan 1-Dec 31, 2021, and in 16 clinics during 2021. There were 95 sealants placed during the intervention period at 16 clinics. There were 265,200 members age 6 years or more on January 1, 2021, or a total of 3,182,400 member months.
Time frame: from planning the survey to gather background information to two months after the final step; an average of 1 year
Sealant Treatment Plan Resolution
The count of occlusal NCCLs with a treatment plan for sealants that is sealed by the end of the post-intervention evaluation period.
Time frame: when a clinic was exposed to the intervention (when they received their survey results) to December 31, 2021. (Vanguard- 9.34 months; Cluster 1- 7.84 months; Cluster 2- 6.39 months; Cluster 3- 5.30 months; Cluster 4- 3.33 months; Cluster 5- 2.75 months)
Cost Effectiveness
Estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for clinics after exposure to the intervention. ICERs calculated for annualized total costs, costs per clinic, and costs PMPM.
Time frame: from one month before the first step to two months after the final step, 1 year
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