Full text [open access]
Journal Article
How did CariesCare International perform under pandemic conditions in children? A one-year, multicentre, single-group, interventional study
Martignon, S.
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Beltrán, E. O.
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Douglas, G. V. A.
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Newton, J. T.
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Pitts, N. B.
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Deery, C.
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Carletto-Körber, F.
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Cifuentes, O. L.
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Fortich, N.
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Chavarria, N.
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Echeverri, B.
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Kuzmina, I.
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Muller-Bolla, M.
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Ricardo Osorio, J. R.
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Ramos, K.
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Sanjuán, J.
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San-Martin, M.
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Squassi, A.
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Villena, R.
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Aïem, E.
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Cáceres-Matta, S.
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Carreño, L. M.
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Cerezo, M. P.
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Conrado, A.
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Hermida, L.
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Llamas, J. I.
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Oña, J. A.
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Sanabria, A.
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Said, D.
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Sarrazola, A.
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Sorazabal, A.
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Zelada, D.
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Abreu-Placeres, Ninoska
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Braga, M.
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Lara, J. S.
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Melo, P.
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Areias, C.
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Falabello de Luca, A. C.
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Tello, R.
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Yunes-Fragoso, Paula M.
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Martinez-Mier, E. A.
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Ferreira Zandona, A.
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Cortes, A.
| Fecha de publicación | Revista | DOI |
4 de agosto de 2025 |
Resumen
Introduction: CariesCare International (CCI) is a practice-friendly, health outcomes-focused, patient-centred, risk-based approach to caries management designed for the practice. The unfeasibility of a randomised clinical trial and of aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic to test the caries control effectiveness of CCI shifted it to a non-AGP, reduced on-site consultation, single-interventional study.
Aim This 12-month, multicentre, single-group, interventional study aimed at primarily assessing the control of caries progression of a pandemic CCI-adapted protocol in children.
Methods: In total, 17 centres (n≥ 20, 3-8-year-old children/centre) were included. Trained examiners assessed (baseline: T0; one-year follow-up: T1y): CCI caries risk; oral health-related behaviours; decayed, missing and filled teeth (primary, permanent) with the epidemiological merged International Caries Detection and Assessment System (severity, activity); dental sepsis; and toothache. Trained practitioners performed one-year CCI-adapted personalised care. Dental care process acceptance was assessed in parents and dentists.
Results: A total of 16 centres finished the study (n = 337, 78.6%; mean age: 5.5 ± 1.6 years). There was a T0-T1y decrease in the mean number of combined primary and permanent tooth surfaces with caries lesions (8.4 ± 9.7 to 6.2 ± 7.6), with most children showing control of caries progression (75.1%), high caries risk (86.6%) and non-adequate oral-health behaviour (72.7%) (p <0.05). CCI acceptance was very high in parents and high/very high in dentists.
Discussion: The limitations given by the pandemic challenges, the single-interventional study design, and the non-AGP and reduced in-office-consultation adaptations, might as well highlight the shown caries progression control, feasibility and acceptance of CCI.
Conclusion: The one-year implementation of CCI showed control of caries progression and of risk and high acceptance among parents and dentists.