Enhancing Routine Dental Visits in Adults: Insights from the RETURN Randomized Controlled Trial

Highlight

• The RETURN trial tested a behavioral intervention led by nurses to increase routine dental visits among adults using urgent dental care services.
• The intervention showed a 20% increase in odds of planned dental visits at 12 months and significantly reduced dental anxiety scores compared to controls.
• Efforts to make dental appointments were more than threefold higher in the intervention group over 18 months, even among socioeconomically deprived individuals.
• The study supports integrating behavioral support with service reforms to improve ongoing dental care in disadvantaged populations.

Study Background