Research progress
Year 1:
Mapping the landscape
Status: In progress
In this stage we:
Explore the different services available to children with tooth decay across the country
Focus on access to family dentists, and services available to children who need sedation or a general anaesthetic.
Look at the location of dentists with extra training in children’s dentistry (specialists and consultants), and where protective services are available, such as supervised toothbrushing in schools, and water fluoridation.
What this means for NECTAR
By creating a series of maps, we are able to visualise the differences in services available across the country. This is important as it highlights the need for this research.
Looking at all the information and maps created, with a wide range of stakeholders,
we will decide on which pathways we should explore in more detail in the next stages.
The decision on the four types of pathways to focus in on will guide the rest of the study.
Years 2-3:
Following children through care
Status: In preparation
In this stage we:
Follow 240 children on our four chosen pathways from the point that they are diagnosed with decay (usually by their family dentist), until six-months after they receive treatment.
Collect information from children, parents and dental teams, including details of their dental health, quality of life, treatment provided, any plastic equipment and gases used (for sedation or general anaesthetic) and distances travelled to appointments.
What this means for NECTAR
We’ll be able to identify the pathways that give the greatest improvement in children’s quality of life, for the least cost, with the smallest harmful effect on the planet.
This information is important in its own right, but will also be used in the next stage of the project.
Years 3-4:
Listening to experiences
Status: Not yet started
In this stage we:
Invite 20 children who took part in the previous stage of the study, with a parent or carer, to speak to us about their experiences of getting dental care for decay.
Speak to 10 dental care providers who work in different settings along these care pathways, to find out more regarding their decision-making to refer a child, and their expectations of what happens once they refer them.
What this means for NECTAR
We’ll have a unique insight into children and parent/carers experiences and expectations of dental care pathways.
We’ll capture the views of dental teams who refer children for treatment with sedation or general anaesthetic, as well as those who make the decisions on whether to proceed with this care.
Years 4-5:
Modelling future impact
Status: Not yet started
In this stage we:
Make a model to predict what the results of the second stage of the study could look like over a longer time period.
The model will also look more closely at the information we collected about the impact of care on the environment.
The model will use a technique known as ‘carbon footprinting’ to work out how each pathway contributes to climate change over time.
What this means for NECTAR
This allows us to see which care pathway for children with tooth decay gives the best outcomes, for the least cost, with the smallest impact on the planet, in the longer term.
Years 5–6:
Preferences and policy recommendations
Status: Not yet started
In this stage we:
Look at what children and parents prioritise in a care pathway for tooth decay. For example, is it important for them to see a specialist (someone with extra training in children’s dentistry)? Is having care provided close to home more important? Is the speed of getting treatment a priority
Collect this information through specially designed surveys that capture preferences.
What this means for NECTAR
This gives a unique insight into children and parent/carers experiences and expectations of dental care pathways.
We’ll capture the views of dental teams who refer children for treatment with sedation or general anaesthetic, as well as those who make the decisions on whether to proceed with this care.
Year 6:
Implementation and sharing
Status: Not yet started
In this stage we:
Pull together all the information from the previous stages.
Work with our Advisory Group to design guidance on what the best care pathways for children with tooth decay should look like.
Develop advice on how these pathways could be introduced in areas where they currently don’t exist.
What this means for NECTAR
We share everything we have learned with policy-makers, media outlets, researchers and healthcare teams, and most importantly, with patients and members of the public.