Project Motivate Me Clinical Trial: Oral Hygiene Intervention for Adolescents
Project Motivate Me Clinical Trial: Oral Hygiene Intervention for Adolescents
The purpose of this study is to promote oral hygiene behaviors (toothbrushing, flossing) and oral health with high-risk adolescents in San Diego, CA, through a Motivational Interviewing (MI) Intervention.
This randomized controlled trial (RCT) will evaluate the efficacy of a new, brief motivational interviewing (MI)- based intervention and assess its impact on several sets of outcomes among 14-19 years old Latino adolescents: clinical oral health and hygiene indices, counts of biological caries-causing bacteria, and oral hygiene behaviors. Three one-on-one, half hour educational and skill-building MI sessions will address: proper oral hygiene technique, bacteria and dental caries process, and nutrition. Intervention group adolescents will also receive three telephone calls (one/month reinforcing their hygiene behavior goals. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline (T1), and at one-month (T2), after the intervention group received three MI sessions and three booster calls.
Aim 1. To develop and assess a new Motivational Interviewing (MI)-based behavioral oral health intervention for Latino adolescents in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. Finalize all intervention educational materials and scripts and assessment tools.
Aim 2. To assess the efficacy of the brief intervention on reductions in clinically determined outcomes among intervention versus control participants.
Aim 3. To assess the efficacy of the brief intervention on reductions in the presence and count of two types of biological bacteria involved in the dental caries disease process.
Aim 4. To assess the efficacy of the brief intervention in increasing the frequency of daily oral hygiene behaviors, including properly brushing, flossing, and rinsing.
Aim 5. Conduct process evaluation via two focus groups post-intervention to assess the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention and assessments (one for intervention group; one for control group).
The investigators hypothesize that the intervention group will see improved clinical outcomes, lower bacteria counts, and better oral hygiene behavior than the control group.
Inclusion Criteria: