KDHRC received funding from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) to develop and evaluate the Oral Health Research and Clinical Trials (OHRCT) Clearinghouse program. This program will be a web-based clearinghouse for researchers and providers to reduce barriers to collaboration during clinical trials and increase their knowledge and skills around meaningful and inclusive recruitment approaches.
The Challenge
OHRCT currently suffers from low and nonrepresentative participation rates from minority and low-income populations, leading to reduced scientific advancement in treating oral health diseases. Barriers to OHRCT participation are multifaceted and include researchers’ challenges connecting with the community and supporting meaningful participation from providers:
- Providers lack OHRCT training, exposure, and experience, and have low self-efficacy and negative attitudes/beliefs about OHRCT, leading to fewer providers participating in clinical trials. Thus, providers do not discuss OHRCT opportunities with patients, leading to fewer participants in clinical trials.
- Patients’ lack of awareness, negative attitudes and experiences, and logistical barriers impact their willingness to participate in OHRCT.
Our Approach
The Clearinghouse program supports NIDCR’s strategic plan to expand the OHRCT workforce through skills development, experiential learning, and using OHRCT to increase quality oral health care for all people. To develop the Clearinghouse program, KDHRC will apply its extensive experience developing community-based oral health education programs and educational programs that increase minority and low-income populations’ enrollment in medical clinical trials.
The Clearinghouse will use an integrated approach for researchers and providers to receive training, support, and practice. The Clearinghouse will consist of four interconnected components: Researcher Portal, Provider Portal, Connection Hub, and Collaboration Hub. The Clearinghouse will be greater than the sum of its parts because it will simultaneously support researchers’ efforts to increase representation in OHRCT recruitment and participation and improve providers’ understanding of OHRCT and methods to meaningfully contribute to its expansion.
Next Steps
KDHRC will develop the Clearinghouse prototype with the support of leading oral health organizations and top experts. KDHRC will then conduct focus group usability testing, analyzing whether researchers and providers find the Clearinghouse prototype usable, engaging, acceptable, motivating, and persuasive. Come back soon for more updates!
