A pilot study on the value of orthodontic treatment within society

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A pilot study to investigate the value of orthodontic treatment within society

• IRAS ID

  181904

• Contact name

  Padhraig Fleming

• Contact email

  padhraig.fleming@qmul.ac.uk

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 6 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Funding of orthodontic treatment (OT) accounted for 19% of the outlay on NHS dentistry in 2012. There is growing emphasis on contracting services of greatest societal value. The aims of this study are, therefore, to undertake a pilot study in order to inform the development of a patient-centred hierarchy of dental and orthodontic treatment priorities. We will also undertake a preliminary investigation of the social value of OT and willingness to pay (WTP) for such treatment using a self-report questionnaire. In addition we will also investigate the professional hierarchy of dental and orthodontic treatment priorities within primary care general dental practitioners as potential gatekeepers of treatment.
  
  Participants and Methods:
  
  In this pilot study there will be 4 focus groups: 3 patient groups and 1 professional group. Participants within the patient groups will be recruited from different age and socio-economic groups. The information obtained will inform the development of a semi-structured questionnaire to explore the importance of dental and orthodontic NHS services from both the users’ and the primary care general dental practitioner’s perspectives. The questionnaire will utilise discrete choice experiments to identify factors influential in the delivery and uptake of treatment, including level of coverage, costs and access.
  
  Data collection:
  
  The focus groups and surveys will be undertaken in 3 sites in London. Up to 8 participants will be included in each of the 4 four focus groups with a target of 400 complete questionnaire responses.

  Outcome measures:
  
  1. Patient-centred hierarchy of dental and orthodontic treatment priority
  2. Estimate of societal value placed on orthodontic treatment
  3. Estimate of WTP for dental and orthodontic treatments
  4. General dental professional’s hierarchy of dental and orthodontic treatment priority

• REC name

  London - City & East Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  15/LO/1663

• Date of REC Opinion

  18 Sep 2015

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion