Publications

We’ve published several research articles during the RETURN project. Below, you’ll find the publications that share our findings.

• Understanding Urgent Dental Care Visits
  We published a paper in a journal called Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology. In this paper we explored why and how people seek urgent dental care. Through interviews and observations, we uncovered key barriers to dental visiting.
  Read the full paper here
• The RETURN Trial Protocol
  Published in a journal called Trials, this paper outlines how the RETURN trial was designed, including its methods and planned analysis. It provides a roadmap for how we tested our materials to encourage regular dental care.
  Read the full paper here
• Developing the RETURN Intervention
  In another Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology paper, we described how we used patient insights, behaviour change theory, and community feedback to develop and refine materials aimed at supporting people in returning to routine dental visits. This is how we created the RETURN intervention.
  Read the full paper here
• Lessons from the RETURN Feasibility Study
  Our study, published in a journal called BMC Oral Health, examines what we learned from running a smaller version of the RETURN trial. Despite the trial being cut short by COVID-19, the findings provided valuable insights.
  Read the full paper here
• Improving Implementation in Dental Practices
  In a journal called BMC Primary Care, we shared the strategies we developed to help dental teams deliver the RETURN intervention effectively in dental settings.
  Read the full paper here

Sharing our work with dental researchers at Conferences

As well as publishing research papers in academic journals, we have also been busy sharing our work at research conferences across the world. Below are a selection of the talks and posters we have shared during the RETURN project:

• International Association of Dental Research (IADR), London, 2018
  “Working with the community addressing inequalities in dental visiting” – talk delivered by Professor Rebecca Harris
• Cultures of Oral Health: 1970 to present, Kings College London, 2019
  “Comparing ‘front stage’ and ‘back stage’ conversations: an ethnographic study following patients in an urgent dental setting” – talk delivered by Dr Marieke van der Zande
• IADR, Vancouver, 2019
  “Identifying messages and design features for a dental visiting intervention” – talk delivered by Professor Rebecca Harris
• IADR, (online), 2021
  “Feasibility study of an intervention reducing inequalities in dental visiting” – research talk delivered by Professor Rebecca Harris.
• National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement – Engage 2021 Festival, (online), 2021
  “Inclusive opportunities within the development of a patient centred intervention within a clinical trial to reduce inequalities of access to primary dental care” – talk delivered by Margaret Stanley
• International Visual Methods Conference, (online), 2021
  “Photovoice as a research method investigating inequalities in dental visiting: exploring contributions of photovoice methods” – talk delivered by Dr Marieke van der Zande
• IADR, (online), 2022
  “Optimisation of a complex intervention reducing inequalities in dental visiting” – talk delivered by Professor Rebecca Harris.
• IADR, Colombia, 2023
  “Exclusion of disadvantaged groups from randomised clinical trials” – talk delivered by Professor Rebecca Harris. View a poster summarising that talk here
  “Nurse training and skill acquisition for a behaviour change intervention” – talk delivered by Victoria Lowers. View a poster summarising that talk here.

Photovoice exhibition

On 13th February 2020, together with the RETURN community advisory group, the RETURN team also organized an exhibition showcasing two of our community involvement projects.

It took place in the fabulous surroundings of the Chapel in the Foresight Centre in Liverpool which is a Grade II listed building steeped in local history and character.

Community project 1: Photovoice – local community members show and curate their photos and stories around dental visiting

Nine local community members took 18 photos and attended several meetings where they discussed their associated stories around “What makes it easy or difficult for you to go to the dentist when you don’t have a dental problem?”

The local community members curated the exhibition with these photos and stories. Four community group members were present at the event, talking to dentists and stakeholders who attended about their experiences with dental visiting.

Community project 2: Young people following group sessions with the Princes Trust reflect on their journey to visit a dentist

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service run The Prince’s Trust Team Programme which helps young people to get their lives working by giving them the opportunity to gain skills and confidence.

RETURN team members visited their teams of young people across Merseyside to talk to them about what encourages or prevents them from going to the dentist. They were then invited to take a photograph of something which symbolised their experience. Nine of these photographs featured in the Photovoice exhibition