PreventionandManagementofCariesinGeneralDentalPractice

GDPInformationSheetSurveyofcurrentpracticeandMIDASdatabasereview

TitleofStudy:Understandingthesystems,organisational,andpatientbarriersandfacilitatorsto
quality improvement in primary dental care: Prevention and management of dental caries in
generaldentalpractice.
Invitation
Youarebeinginvitedtotakepartinapostalsurveyaspartoftheabovenamedresearchproject.
Inaddition,asmallnumberofGDPswhohavecompletedthesurveywillbeinvitedtotakepartin
a dental case practice study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the
researchisbeingdoneandwhatitwillinvolve.Pleasetaketimetoreadthefollowinginformation
carefully.Donothesitatetoaskusifthereisanythingthatisnotclearorifyouwouldlikemore
information.
Whatisthepurposeofthestudy?
Asyouknow,vastnumbersofchildrenandadultsinScotlandsufferfromdentalcaries.Inspiteof
several Scottish Government initiatives and the identification of effective clinical strategies to
preventandmanagedecay,cariesareapersistentandwidespreadproblem.
Thissurveyispartofalargerstudythataimstoidentifythepatient,dentalpractice,andsystem
level factors that influence the successful delivery of recommended caries prevention and
management.Studyfindingswillhelpidentifyappropriatestrategiestopromoteroutinepractices
thatwillbettersupportpreventionandmanagementofcariesinfuture.
WhyhaveIbeenchosen?
You have been chosen at random from the complete list of NHS registered GDPs practicing in
Scotland.
DoIhavetotakepart?
No. If you do decide to take part, but later change your mind, you can withdraw at any time
withoutgivingareason.TodosojustcontactDrAnnaTempleton,StudyResearchFellow,using
the contact details at the end of this information sheet. Any information gathered from you up
untilthepointyouwithdrawwillberetainedandusedinthestudy.
Whatwilltakingpartinvolve?
Ifyouarewillingtoparticipate,pleasecompletethesurveyandreturnitintheenclosedFreepost
envelopemarkedSURVEY.Thisshouldtakenolongerthan20minutes.
In addition to the survey, we are requesting your permission to access your routinely collected
treatment data from the Management Information Dental Accounting System (MIDAS) database
andtolinkthisdatatoyoursurveyresponses.Doingthiswillenableustobetterunderstandhow
GDPscurrentlydelivercareformanagingorpreventingcariesandhowdifferentpracticeprofiles,
viewsandexperiencesinfluencethetypesoftreatmentsdelivered.Ifyouarewillingtoallowusto
includeyourMIDASdatainourreview,pleasesigntheenclosedconsentformtitledPrevention
andManagementofCariesinGeneralDentalPractice:GDPconsenttoMIDASaccessandreturnit


intheFreepostenvelopemarkedCONSENT.IfyouarenotwillingtopermitaccesstoyourMIDAS
data,pleasestillreturnyoursurveyastheinformationprovidedwillbeveryvaluable.
Theconfidentialityofyourdataisaprimeconsiderationofthissurvey.Alldatawillbesecurely
storedattheDundeeDentalEducationCentre,NHSEducationforScotland,andwillbemanaged
according to the 1998 Data Protection Act. Please be assured that all information you provide
(surveyandMIDAS)willbeheldinthestrictestconfidence,anonymised,andpresentedtoothers
onlyinanaggregatedform.
Whatarethepossiblebenefitsorrisks?
Completing this survey will benefit you by helping to ensure that future guidance and
recommendationsareinformedbythedailyexperienceandexpertiseofpracticingdentists.
Ifyoubelieveyouhavebeenharmedinanywaybytakingpartinthisstudy,youhavetherightto
pursueacomplaintandseekanyresultingcompensationthroughtheUniversityofDundee,who
areactingastheresearchsponsor.Detailsaboutthisareavailablefromthestudyteam.
Whatwillhappentotheresultsoftheresearchstudy?
Wewillpublishtheresultsofthisstudyintheacademicandpopularpress,andpresentthemat
academic meetings of dentists and dental researchers. A summary will be published on the
ScottishDentalwebsite(www.scottishdental.org).TheinformationwillalsobesenttoNHSpolicy
makers.You,yourteammembers,andyourpatientswillnotbeidentifiedpersonallyinanyreport
orpublication.
Whoisorganisingandfundingthestudy?
This study is being organised by NHS Education for Scotland in collaboration with a group of
researchers from the Childsmile programme and the Universities of Dundee, Aberdeen, and
Glasgow.ProfessorJanClarkson,UniversityofDundee,istheChiefInvestigator.
ThisstudyisfundedbytheChiefScientistOffice,referenceCZH/3/27.Thefundingforthisstudyis
usedfornecessaryrunningexpenses,includingsalariesofemployedstaff.Noonewillreceiveany
financialbenefitfromthisresearch.
Whohasreviewedthestudy?
The Tayside Committee on Medical Research Ethics B, which is responsible for reviewing all
proposalsformedicalresearchinvolvinghumansinTayside,hasexaminedtheproposalandraised
no objections to the medical ethics of this study. It is a requirement that, if requested, your
recordsinthisresearchbemadeavailableforreviewbymonitorsfromtheUniversityofDundee
and the relevant NHS R&D office to assure research is properly conducted and the interests of
thosetakingpartarebeingadequatelyprotected.
Contactdetailsforfurtherinformation
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorwouldlikeanymoreinformation,pleasecontactDrAnnaTempleton,
Study Research Fellow, at the Prevention and Management of Caries in General Practice Study
Office, Dundee Dental Education Centre, Frankland Building, Smalls Wynd, Dundee, DD1 4HN,
01382740958,oremailtoTRiaDS@nes.scot.nhs.uk.

Thankyoufortakingthetimetoreadthisinformationsheet.Pleasebesuretokeepthis
informationsheetifyouthinkyoumighttakepartinthisstudy.