Dental-Child Interaction Training for Dental Providers

This study is testing a specialized training program called Dental-Child Interaction Training (DCIT) for dental professionals like dentists, hygienists, and assistants. The goal is to help them improve how they interact with young children (ages 2-10) during dental visits. The training is based on a proven method for managing behavior in preschoolers. All dental providers in the study will receive the DCIT training, but some will get it right away, while others will wait a couple of months. Researchers will compare these groups to see if the training helps dental providers use these new skills and if they find the training acceptable. The study is currently unclear on its recruitment status and plans to enroll 264 participants.

Study design: This study is an interventional trial with 264 planned participants, divided into two groups: one receiving immediate training and another receiving delayed training.
What's involved: You would be video recorded in your dental office, participate in an 8-hour training workshop, and complete assessments before and after the workshop.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: The primary endpoint assesses usage of behavioral methods immediately before and after the workshop.

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Dental-Child Interaction Training

Recruiting

NAAges 18–99InterventionalHealth services

University of Florida

~5,808 participants

Updated 2026-08-05 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:Immediate intervention GroupDelayed intervention (control) Group

At a glance

Recruiting sites

2 of 4 listed sites are recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

To assess dental providers' usage of DCIT behavioral methods in the training workshop.

Measured over Immediately pre- and post-workshop

Conditions

Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms

Child Behavior

Where it's being run

4 sites across 4 states

Arkansas1

Florida1

North Carolina1

West Virginia1

Study leadership

Daniel W McNeil, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Florida
Cheryl B McNeil, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Florida

Who to contact

Mary L Davis, CRDH

[email protected]

352-222-7034

Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Licensed dentist, licensed or certified dental hygienist, or dental assistant

Provides (or willing to consider providing) dental treatment for children between 2 years and 10 years old -\>= 18 years old

Fluent in spoken and written English

Willing to be videotaped

Understands spoken and written English

Willing to be videotaped

Provide signed and dated informed consent form

Willing to comply with all study procedures and be available for the duration of the study

Child between 2 years, 0 months, and 0 days, and 10 years, 11 months, 30 days old

Receiving preventive, restorative, emergency or any other dental treatment

Accompanied by a parent/caregiver

Understands spoken and written English

Willing to be videotaped

Parent/guardian provides signed and dated informed consent form

Provide assent (if 7+ years old and who do not have an obvious cognitive impairment or are "mentally immature")

Willing to comply with all study procedures and be available for the duration of the study

In good general health as evidenced by medical history

Exclusion

Cognitive impairment or developmental delay

Major medical problem in child

Autism or other developmental/neurodevelopmental disorders

Anything that would place the individual at increased risk or preclude the individual's full compliance with or completion of the study.

What this trial measures

To assess dental providers' usage of DCIT behavioral methods in the training workshop.Immediately pre- and post-workshop
Frequency counts of Dental-Child Interaction Training (DCIT) positive (i.e., increases/change in labeled praises, behavior descriptions, direct commands) and negative (i.e., decreases/change in negative talk and no-opportunity-to-comply commands) behavioral methods and ratio of those behaviors to all coded provider behaviors involved in the interaction of the child to evaluate whether participants show demonstrated skill change as a result of the workshop. Outcome measured by observation of video-taped interactions between dental provider and (simulated) children using Dental-Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (D-DPICS).

Trialytics