Can a Digital Education Program in Radiographic Imaging Technique for Dental Professionals Improve Image Quality?

Radiography Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Digital Education Program in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology: Effect on Image Quality Evaluated in a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06442904
• Other study ID #: Umea University, Sweden
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 2024
• Est. completion date: January 2025

Study information

• Verified date: June 2024
• Source: Umeå University
• Contact: Maria Garoff, Assoc. Prof.
• Phone: +46 (0)90-785 60 84
• Email: maria.garoff[@]umu.se
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a digital education program designed for dental professionals can lead to radiographic examinations of better quality. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does the digital education program lead to more radiographic examinations of good quality? Does the digital education program lead to better theoretical and practical understanding regarding image quality among dental professionals?

Researchers will compare answers from a theoretical test and image quality in radiographic examinations between participants with respectively without access to the digital education program.

Participants will:

• have access to the digital education program for three months

• after three months all study participants are invited to answer a theoretical test

Description:

The present study aims to evaluate a digital education programs effect on image quality in intraoral radiographic examinations performed by dental professionals. The present study is part of an on-going cross sectional descriptive project where dental professionals employed in general dental care in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden constitute the study population. The purpose of the project is to gain a broader understanding of a digital education programs impact on the theoretical and practical competencies among dental professionals regarding intraoral dental radiographic examinations.

Approximately 80 dental professionals have provided written informed consent regarding study participation. In the present study, approximately 40 participants will for three months be offered the intervention and join a digital education program. Approximately 40 participants will during the same period not be offered the intervention and constitute the control group. Effects on practical competencies between groups will be evaluated when analyzing image quality of intraoral radiographic examinations. Effects on theoretical competencies between groups will be analyzed with a theoretical test.

Cluster randomization of dental clinics will be made for study included participants to either intervention group or control group. Recruitment of study participants will end in August 2024.

The investigators hypothesize that the digital education program will improve the theoretical competence and radiographic image quality in intraoral radiographic examinations.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 90
• Est. completion date: January 2025
• Est. primary completion date: December 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Dental professionals performing radiographic examinations employed in general dentistry in the County Council of Västerbotten, Sweden

Exclusion Criteria:

• Dental professionals not performing radiographic examinations

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Dentistry
• Radiography

Intervention

Other:
• Digital education program
The approximately six hours long digital education program will be available for three months and implies further education in intraoral radiographic examinations.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Sweden	Folktandvården Region Västerbotten	Umeå

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Umeå University	Västerbotten County Council, Sweden

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Sweden, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Image quality	Change in image quality of intraoral radiographic examinations measured with a protocol designed for diagnostic image quality assessment. Comparisons between intervention- and control group will be made.	Baseline and three months post-intervention
Secondary	Theoretical competence	Change in theoretical competence measured in a theoretical test. Comparisons between intervention- and control group will be made.	One month post-intervention