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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 25 of 62 Research Studies DisplayedKalenderian E, Bangar S, Yansane A
Identifying contributing factors associated with dental adverse events through a pragmatic electronic health record-based root cause analysis.
This study’s objective was to analyze harmful dental adverse events (AEs) to assess potential contributing factors. Harmful AEs were defined as those that resulted in temporary moderate to severe harm, required hospitalization, or resulted in permanent moderate to severe harm. The authors classified potential contributing factors according to (1) who was involved (person), (2) what were they doing (tasks), (3) what tools/technologies were they using (tools/technologies), (4) where did the event take place (environment), (5) what organizational conditions contributed to the event? (organization), (6) patient (including parents), and (7) professional-professional collaboration. A second review was conducted by a blinded panel of dental experts to confirm the presence of an AE. A total of 59 cases at 2 dental institutions had 1 or more harmful AEs. The most common harmful AE was pain (27.1%) followed by nerve injury (16.9%), hard tissue injury (15.2%), and soft tissue injury (15.2%). The most common contribution factor was the care provider (training, supervision, and fatigue at 31.5%) followed by patient ((noncompliance, unsafe practices at home, low health literacy, 17.1%), and professional-professional collaboration (15.3%).
AHRQ-funded; HS027268.
Citation: Kalenderian E, Bangar S, Yansane A .
Identifying contributing factors associated with dental adverse events through a pragmatic electronic health record-based root cause analysis.
J Patient Saf 2023 Aug 1; 19(5):305-12. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000001122..
Keywords: Dental and Oral Health, Adverse Events, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Medical Errors, Patient Safety
Ramanathan S, Evans CT, Hershow RC
Comparison of guideline concordant antibiotic prophylaxis in Veterans Affairs and non-Veterans Affairs dental settings among those with cardiac conditions or prosthetic joints.
The objective of this retrospective study was to compare prescribing of antibiotic prophylaxis in Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA settings. Subjects were veteran and non-veteran dental patients with cardiac conditions or prosthetic joints; most were males aged 55 years older. The results showed that VA settings had a higher prevalence of guideline concordant prescribing among those with prosthetic joints, and when assessing dosing errors. The authors recommended that future studies focus on the extent to which integrated electronic health records may be responsible for increased guideline concordant prescribing in the VA setting.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Ramanathan S, Evans CT, Hershow RC .
Comparison of guideline concordant antibiotic prophylaxis in Veterans Affairs and non-Veterans Affairs dental settings among those with cardiac conditions or prosthetic joints.
BMC Infect Dis 2023 Jun 23; 23(1):427. doi: 10.1186/s12879-023-08400-y..
Keywords: Dental and Oral Health, Antibiotics, Medication, Prevention, Cardiovascular Conditions, Practice Patterns
Roberts ET, Mellor JM, McInerny MP
Effects of a Medicaid dental coverage "cliff" on dental care access among low-income Medicare beneficiaries.
Medicare beneficiaries with income levels slightly exceeding the thresholds of eligibility for Medicaid have few affordable options for dental coverage. This gap results in a dental coverage “cliff” above these thresholds. The purpose of this study was to assess how a sudden drop-off in dental coverage from Medicaid impacts access to dental care in low-income Medicare beneficiaries. The researchers studied low-income community resident Medicare recipients whose incomes were within approximately 75 percentage points of state-specific Medicaid income eligibility thresholds. The study found that Medicare beneficiaries whose income was higher than Medicaid eligibility thresholds were 5.0 percentage points more likely to report challenges accessing dental care because of cost concerns or a lack of insurance than beneficiaries below the thresholds.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727; HS025422.
Citation: Roberts ET, Mellor JM, McInerny MP .
Effects of a Medicaid dental coverage "cliff" on dental care access among low-income Medicare beneficiaries.
Health Serv Res 2023 Jun; 58(3):589-98. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13981..
Keywords: Dental and Oral Health, Medicaid, Medicare, Health Insurance, Access to Care
Kim KC, Khouja T, Burgette JM
Trends in dispensed prescriptions for opioids, sedatives, benzodiazepines, gabapentin, and stimulants to children by general dentists, 2012-2019.
This study examined trends in prescription fills for opioids, benzodiazepines, gabapentin, and stimulants to children <18 years from 2012 to 2019 in a national dataset comprising 92% of dispensed outpatient prescriptions by dentists. During this time, 3.8 million children filled prescriptions for high-alert drugs from general dentists. Opioids accounts for 69.4% of high-alert prescriptions, however from 2012 to 2019 fills for opioids, sedatives, benzodiazepines, and stimulants decreased by 65.2%, 43.4%, 43.6% and 89.3%, respectively. Gabapentin prescriptions increased by 8.1%. Older teenagers (15-17 years) received 42.5% of high-alert prescriptions. Low-income counties in Southern states were overrepresented among top-prescribing areas in 2019.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Kim KC, Khouja T, Burgette JM .
Trends in dispensed prescriptions for opioids, sedatives, benzodiazepines, gabapentin, and stimulants to children by general dentists, 2012-2019.
Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2023 Jun; 32(6):625-34. doi: 10.1002/pds.5589..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns
Yan CH, Ramanathan S, Suda KJ
Barriers to and facilitators of opioid prescribing by dentists in the United States: a qualitative study.
In this study, a national sample of US dentists was interviewed to understand the barriers and facilitators to opioid prescribing. Findings showed that dentists' opioid decision making is influenced by a range of real-world practice experiences and patient and clinic factors. Recommendations included targeting knowledge gaps in dentistry for education, clinical guidelines, and policy interventions in order to ensure safe and appropriate prescribing of opioids.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Yan CH, Ramanathan S, Suda KJ .
Barriers to and facilitators of opioid prescribing by dentists in the United States: a qualitative study.
J Am Dent Assoc 2022 Oct;153(10):957-69.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2022.05.009..
Keywords: Dental and Oral Health, Opioids, Medication
Lipton BJ, Decker SL, Stitt B
Association between Medicaid dental payment policies and children's dental visits, oral health, and school absences.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between the ratio of Medicaid payment rates to dentist charges and children's preventive dental visits, oral health, and school absences. The researchers conducted a difference-in-differences analysis of 15,738 Medicaid-enrolled children and a control group of 16 867 privately insured children aged 6 to 17 years who participated in the 2016-2019 National Survey of Children's Health. The study found that 87% and 48% of Medicaid-enrolled children had at least 1 and at least 2 past-year dental visits, respectively, and 29% had parent-reported excellent oral health. Increasing the fee ratio by was associated with increases in at least 1 and 2 visits and in excellent oral health. Increases in at least 2 visits were larger for Hispanic children than for White children. By weighted baseline estimates, 28% and 15% of Medicaid-enrolled children had at least 4 and at least 7 past-year school absences, respectively. The researchers concluded that Medicaid policies with higher payments were associated with modest increases in children's preventive dental visits and excellent oral health.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Lipton BJ, Decker SL, Stitt B .
Association between Medicaid dental payment policies and children's dental visits, oral health, and school absences.
JAMA Health Forum 2022 Sep 2;3(9):e223041. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.3041..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Medicaid, Payment, Policy
Kalenderian E, Lee JH, Obadan-Udoh EM
Development of an inventory of dental harms: methods and rationale.
The authors sought to standardize the language of dental adverse events (AEs). Using a multimodal approach, they developed a broad list of dental AEs in which the AEs were classed into 12 categories, with hard tissue injury being noted frequently. Pain was the unexpected AE that was consistently identified with every modality used.
AHRQ-funded; HS024406.
Citation: Kalenderian E, Lee JH, Obadan-Udoh EM .
Development of an inventory of dental harms: methods and rationale.
J Patient Saf 2022 Sep 1;18(6):559-64. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000001033..
Keywords: Dental and Oral Health, Patient Safety, Research Methodologies
Khouja T, Polk DE, Suda KJ
Opioid prescribing by oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States, 2016-2019.
The objective of this study was to describe opioid prescribing trends among oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFS). The IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Dataset, 2016-2019, was used to identify prescriptions written by OMFS. The results indicated that while OMFS-prescribed hydrocodone and oxycodone decreased in most states, 12 percent of states showed increases. Tramadol and codeine prescriptions also increased. From these findings, the authors concluded that targeted interventions are warranted in some areas.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Khouja T, Polk DE, Suda KJ .
Opioid prescribing by oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States, 2016-2019.
J Public Health Dent 2022 Sep;82(4):491-94. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12544..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns, Orthopedics, Surgery, Dental and Oral Health, Provider: Physician
Khouja T, Zhou J, Gellad WF
Serious opioid-related adverse outcomes associated with opioids prescribed by dentists.
This study’s objective was to evaluate adverse outcomes and persistent opioid use (POU) after opioid prescriptions by dentists, based on whether opioids were overprescribed or within recommendations. A cross-sectional analysis of adults with dental visit and corresponding opioid prescription from 2011 to 2017 within a nationwide commercial claims database was conducted. As per CDC guidelines, opioid overprescribing was defined as >120 morphine milligram equivalents. Of 633,387 visits, 16.6% had POU and 2.6% experienced an adverse outcome. POU was higher when opioids were overprescribed with visits associated with mild pain and those with substance use disorders having the highest risk of both outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Khouja T, Zhou J, Gellad WF .
Serious opioid-related adverse outcomes associated with opioids prescribed by dentists.
Pain 2022 Aug 1;163(8):1571-80. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002545..
Keywords: Opioids, Dental and Oral Health, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Practice Patterns, Pain, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events
Shenkman E, Mistry KB, Davis D
Stakeholder engagement: bridging research and policy to improve measurement and dental care for children in Medicaid.
The University of Florida Child Health Quality (CHeQ) initiative, funded by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ)/Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Pediatric Quality Measurement Program, examined measures that states use to evaluate quality of oral health care for children in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This paper discusses stakeholder engagement in bridging research and policy to improve measurement and dental care for children in Medicaid.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; HS025298.
Citation: Shenkman E, Mistry KB, Davis D .
Stakeholder engagement: bridging research and policy to improve measurement and dental care for children in Medicaid.
Acad Pediatr 2022 Apr;22(3S):S65-S67. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.08.012..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Quality Measures, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Harris S, Farah W, Snitchler C. S, Farah W, Snitchler C
Screening and interventions to prevent dental caries in children younger than five years.
This case study concerns Hispanic parents new to a practice who bring in their two children, two years of age and four months of age, for routine wellness visits. The parents have questions about dental care for their children. Three case study questions are provided along with answers. Bonus digital content provides an information sheet with a Clinical Summary of the USPSTF Recommendation.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Harris S, Farah W, Snitchler C. S, Farah W, Snitchler C .
Screening and interventions to prevent dental caries in children younger than five years.
Am Fam Physician 2022 Mar;105(3):299-300..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Screening, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice, Case Study
Chou R, Pappas M, Dana T
Screening and interventions to prevent dental caries in children younger than 5 years: updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
The purpose of this evidence review was to update the 2014 review on dental caries screening and preventive interventions to inform the USPSTF. Findings showed no direct evidence on benefits and harms of primary care oral health screening or referral to dentist, while dietary fluoride supplementation and fluoride varnish were associated with improved caries outcomes in higher-risk children and settings.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500009I.
Citation: Chou R, Pappas M, Dana T .
Screening and interventions to prevent dental caries in children younger than 5 years: updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
JAMA 2021 Dec 7;326(21):2179-92. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.15658..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Screening, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Prevention
Tokede O, Walji M, Ramoni R
Quantifying dental office-originating adverse events: the dental practice study methods.
Investigators initiated the Dental Practice Study (DPS) with the goal of determining the frequency and types of adverse events (AEs) that occur in dentistry on the basis of retrospective chart audit. In this article, they discussed the 6-month pilot phase of the DPS during which they explored the feasibility and efficiency of their multi-staged review process to detect AEs.
Citation: Tokede O, Walji M, Ramoni R .
Quantifying dental office-originating adverse events: the dental practice study methods.
J Patient Saf 2021 Dec 1;17(8):e1080-e87. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000444..
Keywords: Dental and Oral Health, Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Medical Errors
Lipton BJ, Finlayson TL
The association between Medicaid adult dental coverage and children's oral health.
This study examined the association of Medicaid adult dental coverage and children’s oral health as Medicaid-eligible children are more likely to experience tooth decay than children in higher-income families. Data from the 1996-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the 2003, 2007, and 2011-12 waves of the National Survey of Children’s Health was used. Adult dental coverage was associated with a 5-percentage-point reduction in the prevalence of untreated caries among children after Medicaid-enrolled adults had access to dental coverage for at least one year. Children under twelve years of age were the most affected.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Lipton BJ, Finlayson TL .
The association between Medicaid adult dental coverage and children's oral health.
Health Aff 2021 Nov;40(11):1731-39. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01135..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Medicaid, Health Insurance, Access to Care
Wang ML, Minyé HM, Egan KA
Community-based sugar-sweetened beverage intervention associated with short-term improvements in self-rated oral health.
The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a community-based childhood obesity prevention intervention targeting sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption on self-rated oral health among children and their parents/caregivers. The investigators found that short-term improvements in oral health among children and their parents/caregivers were observed among those participating in a SSB behavioural intervention.
AHRQ-funded; HS022242.
Citation: Wang ML, Minyé HM, Egan KA .
Community-based sugar-sweetened beverage intervention associated with short-term improvements in self-rated oral health.
Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2021 Aug;49(4):362-68. doi: 10.1111/cdoe.12610..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Obesity, Dental and Oral Health, Prevention
Xu L, Xie D, Griffin KS
Objective adherence to dental device versus positive airway pressure treatment in adults with obstructive sleep apnea.
Although mandibular advancement device (MAD) treatment of adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is generally less efficacious than positive airway pressure (PAP), the two treatments are associated, with similar clinical outcomes. As a sub-analysis of a randomized trial comparing the effect of MAD versus PAP on blood pressure, this study compared objectively measured adherence to MAD versus PAP treatment in adults with OSA.
AHRQ-funded; HS019738.
Citation: Xu L, Xie D, Griffin KS .
Objective adherence to dental device versus positive airway pressure treatment in adults with obstructive sleep apnea.
J Sleep Res 2021 Aug;30(4):e13240. doi: 10.1111/jsr.13240..
Keywords: Sleep Problems, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Treatments, Dental and Oral Health, Respiratory Conditions
Teoh L, Thompson W, Hubbard CC
Comparison of dental benzodiazepine prescriptions from the U.S., England, and Australia from 2013 to 2018.
Benzodiazepines contribute to substance use disorder and are often part of polydrug abuse, most frequently with opioids. Although dental opioid prescribing differs significantly between countries, little is known about the patterns of dental benzodiazepine prescribing. The aim of this study was to compare dental prescribing of benzodiazepines among the U.S., England, and Australia in 2013-2018.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Teoh L, Thompson W, Hubbard CC .
Comparison of dental benzodiazepine prescriptions from the U.S., England, and Australia from 2013 to 2018.
Am J Prev Med 2021 Jul;61(1):73-79. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.01.025..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns, Dental and Oral Health
Azadani EN, Townsend J, Peng J
The association between traumatic dental and brain injuries in American children.
This study examined the association between dento-alveolar trauma (DAT) and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) among children ages 0-18 years. The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), an HCUP dataset, was analyzed using ICD-9-CM codes for the 2010-2014 NEDS data. Out of 6,281,658 emergency department (ED) visits, DAT was recorded in 93,408 (1.5%) visits and TBI was recorded in 996,334 (15.9%) visits. Of the DAT-positive encounters, 7.5% had codes associated with TBI. Patients with DAT had 0.20 odds of having TBI compared with patients who did not DAT when all confounding variables were kept constant. Multiple injuries, being involved in motor vehicle crashes, and injuries due to assault were associated with higher odds of concomitant TBI in patients who sustained DAT.
AHRQ-funded; HS24263.
Citation: Azadani EN, Townsend J, Peng J .
The association between traumatic dental and brain injuries in American children.
Dent Traumatol 2021 Feb;37(1):114-22. doi: 10.1111/edt.12611..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Trauma, Neurological Disorders, Dental and Oral Health
Gross AE, Suda KJ, Zhou J
Serious antibiotic-related adverse effects following unnecessary dental prophylaxis in the United States.
The majority of antibiotics prescribed before a dental visit are considered unnecessary (80.9%). This study characterized adverse effects related to unnecessary dental prophylaxis. This retrospective cohort study used data from dental visits between 2011 and 2015 from the IBM Watson Health Marketscan Commercial Claims/Encounters, Medicare Supplemental, Coordination of Benefits Research databases. Antibiotics prescribed included amoxicillin (67.9%), clindamycin (15.5%), cephalexin (8.6%), azithromycin (2.8%), and penicillin (1.5). Antibiotic adverse effects (AAEs) were found in 1.4% of unnecessary prescriptions. The most common AAEs were emergency department (ED) visits, allergic reactions, 14 cases of C. difficile infection, and 5 anaphylactic reactions. AAEs were more common with clindamycin than amoxicillin.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Gross AE, Suda KJ, Zhou J .
Serious antibiotic-related adverse effects following unnecessary dental prophylaxis in the United States.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2021 Jan;42(1):110-12. doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.1261..
Keywords: Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antibiotics, Medication, Dental and Oral Health, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events
Yansane A, Lee JH, Hebballi N
Assessing the patient safety culture in dentistry.
Medical errors are among the leading causes of death within the United States. Studies have shown that patients can be harmed while receiving care, sometimes resulting in permanent injury or, in extreme cases, death. To reduce the risk of patient safety incidents, it is imperative that a robust culture of safety be established. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the patient safety culture among providers at 4 US dental institutions, comparing the results with their medical counterparts in 2016.
AHRQ-funded; HS024406.
Citation: Yansane A, Lee JH, Hebballi N .
Assessing the patient safety culture in dentistry.
JDR Clin Trans Res 2020 Oct;5(4):399-408. doi: 10.1177/2380084419897614..
Keywords: Surveys on Patient Safety Culture, Patient Safety, Dental and Oral Health, Provider, Medical Errors, Adverse Events
Khouja T, Burgette JM, Donohue JM
Association between Medicaid expansion, dental coverage policies for adults, and children's receipt of preventive dental services.
Researchers examined whether low-income children's use of preventive dental services is linked to variation in state Medicaid policies that affect parents' access to dental care in Medicaid. Using MEPS data along with Area Health Resources File and Medicaid adult dental coverage policies, they found no change in children's receipt of preventive dental care associated with Medicaid expansions in states that covered vs did not cover preventive dental services for adults. They concluded that factors other than parental access to dental benefits through Medicaid may be more salient determinants of preventive dental care use among low-income children.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Khouja T, Burgette JM, Donohue JM .
Association between Medicaid expansion, dental coverage policies for adults, and children's receipt of preventive dental services.
Health Serv Res 2020 Oct;55(5):642-50. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13324..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Medicaid, Health Insurance, Low-Income, Access to Care, Policy
Bevans KB, Moon J, Becker BD
Development of patient-reported outcome measures of children's oral health aesthetics.
The authors sought to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of child- and parent-proxy measures of oral health aesthetics. Items that describe children's perceptions of their oral attractiveness and its impact on social, emotional, and behavioral functioning were developed based on a systematic review of existing measures, clinician feedback, and child semi-structured interviews. The authors found that the oral health aesthetic item banks and short forms provided precise and valid assessments of children's satisfaction with their oral appearance and may be useful for targeting and evaluating pediatric dental and orthodontic care in clinical practice and research settings.
AHRQ-funded; HS020508.
Citation: Bevans KB, Moon J, Becker BD .
Development of patient-reported outcome measures of children's oral health aesthetics.
Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2020 Oct;48(5):423-32. doi: 10.1111/cdoe.12555..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Quality of Life
Zhou J, Calip GS, Rowan S
Potentially inappropriate medication combination with opioids among older dental patients: a retrospective review of insurance claims data.
Opioid prescribing by dentists for older patients receiving medications with potential contraindications and the subsequent impact on acute care outcomes is not well described. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the use of potentially inappropriate medication combinations (PIMCs) involving opioids prescribed by dentists according to the Beers Criteria and risks of 30-day emergency department (ED) visits and all-cause hospitalization among commercially insured dental patients ages 65 years and older.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Zhou J, Calip GS, Rowan S .
Potentially inappropriate medication combination with opioids among older dental patients: a retrospective review of insurance claims data.
Pharmacotherapy 2020 Oct;40(10):992-1001. doi: 10.1002/phar.2452..
Keywords: Elderly, Opioids, Dental and Oral Health, Medication: Safety, Medication, Practice Patterns
Wretman CJ, Zimmerman S, Ward K
Measuring self-efficacy and attitudes for providing mouth care in nursing homes.
Mouth care is increasingly recognized as an important component of care in nursing homes (NHs) yet is known to be deficient. To promote quality improvement and inform research efforts, it is necessary to have valid measures of staff self-efficacy and attitudes to provide mouth care. The purpose of this study was to measure self-efficacy and attitudes for providing mouth care in nursing homes.
AHRQ-funded; HS022298.
Citation: Wretman CJ, Zimmerman S, Ward K .
Measuring self-efficacy and attitudes for providing mouth care in nursing homes.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2020 Sep;21(9):1316-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2020.02.007..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Dental and Oral Health
Zimmerman S, Sloane PD, Ward K
Effectiveness of a mouth care program provided by nursing home staff vs standard care on reducing pneumonia incidence: a cluster randomized trial.
Pneumonia affects more than 250 000 nursing home (NH) residents annually. A strategy to reduce pneumonia is to provide daily mouth care, especially to residents with dementia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Mouth Care Without a Battle, a program that increases staff knowledge and attitudes regarding oral hygiene, changes mouth care, and improves oral hygiene, in reducing the incidence of pneumonia among NH residents.
AHRQ-funded; HS022298.
Citation: Zimmerman S, Sloane PD, Ward K .
Effectiveness of a mouth care program provided by nursing home staff vs standard care on reducing pneumonia incidence: a cluster randomized trial.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Jun;3(6):e204321. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.4321..
Keywords: Pneumonia, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Dental and Oral Health, Prevention, Patient Safety
