Network studies have very high recruitment and retention of participants

• Publications Highlights

Recruitment of persons to participate in clinical research studies and retention of the participants during the study are two of the most critical aspects of study success. A recent article published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science provides valuable insights into these areas, focusing on the experience of the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network in five clinical studies conducted between 2012 and 2019.

The article presents a comprehensive retrospective assessment of the recruitment and retention strategies used in these studies. Dr. Rahma Mungia and co-authors detail the specific approaches used to attract and retain both practitioners and patients, providing a valuable resource for other researchers planning similar studies.

A total of 591 practitioners participated across the five studies, with most being general dentists (85%) from private practices (84%). The mean number of patients enrolled per practitioner was 21, with variations across studies. The studies enrolled 12,159 patients, predominantly female (65%), non-Hispanic White (79%), with a mean age of 50 years, and half having a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Practitioner Recruitment and Retention Strategies

The authors describe the multi-pronged approach used by the Network to recruit practitioners, including targeted outreach, advertising, and engaging existing members. Retention strategies involved maintaining positive relationships, regular communication, and offering incentives like continuing education credits.

High Recruitment and Retention Rates

The article highlights that the studies successfully enlisted the desired number of practitioners (150-200) and patients (1,700-3,800) for each study. Most practitioners participated in one or two studies and each practitioner recruited 13 to 21 patients.

One of the key findings of the article is the high retention rates achieved in the studies. Patient follow-up rates for any assessment varied from 91% to 96.5%, and rates for participating in all assessments ranged from 68% to 87%. These impressive retention rates demonstrate the effectiveness of the strategies employed.

Factors Influencing Retention

The article also explores the characteristics of practitioners and patients that were associated with higher retention rates. For practitioners, practice type (public, federal, or academic practices vs preferred provider organizations) and higher patient enrollment were associated with greater retention. For patients, age was associated with clinic retention, while female gender, older age, non-Hispanic white or Asian and Hispanic race/ethnicities, and education were all associated with greater completion of post-visit online assessments.

Conclusion

The Network employed effective strategies for practitioner and patient recruitment and achieved high retention rates across the five large National studies. The authors highlight the importance of continuous communication, positive relationships, incentives, and minimizing disruptions to practice flow in achieving these outcomes. By understanding the factors that contribute to successful participant engagement, researchers can design more effective studies and ultimately advance our understanding of dental health.

Read the full article:  

Mungia R, Funkhouser E, Cochran DL, et al. Recruitment strategies and retention rates for five National Dental PBRN studies. J Clin Transl Sci. 2024;8(1):e56. Published 2024 Mar 22. doi:10.1017/cts.2024.499