Improving Dental Care and Oral Health in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

May 19, 2026 updated by: Coleen Cunningham, University of California, Irvine
A randomized controlled trial (at sites) comparing the efficacy of the established AIR-P Dental Toolkit (control condition) to a combined regimen involving the Dental Toolkit and parent-mediated behavioral intervention (intervention condition) to improve home dental care, oral health outcomes, and dental office visit experiences.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Participation in routine dental care is a significant challenge for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to a variety of factors, including considerations related to ASD symptoms and associated anxiety and behavioral difficulties. Lack of routine, effective dental care has contributed to a substantial unmet healthcare need for children with ASD, who are at increased risk for excessive plaque, caries, and oral infections.

The purpose of this study is to test a parent-training intervention designed to improve home dental hygiene, compliance with dental office visits, and oral health outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder. Families of children with an existing diagnosis of ASD will be recruited for participation. All families will receive the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) Dental Toolkit, which is designed to provide parents with guidance and information about dental care and support strategies for children with ASD. Some families will also participate in a 10-week behavioral parent-training intervention focused on improving home dental care and dental office visit experiences.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
119

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Irvine, California, United States, 92705
        • University of California Irvine
    • Ohio
      • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43081
        • Nationwide Children's Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

3 years to 13 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • English-speaking families of children ages 3 to 13 years and 11 months.
  • Current diagnosis of ASD confirmed by baseline assessment.
  • Parent-reported difficulty participating in dental care.
  • Confirmed absence of dental screenings or exams/visits within the previous 6 months.
  • Underserved status as defined by Medicaid eligibility.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children who present with an acute dental condition requiring emergency treatment.
  • Children who are currently taking, or have recently discontinued, medications that affect oral and gingival health.
  • Anything that, in the opinion of the Site Principal Investigator, would place the subject at unwarranted risk or materially reduce their contribution to the trial's aims due to inability or refusal to adhere to trial procedures and follow-up.

Families will be asked to refrain from participating in any non-study adaptive behavior interventions or therapies focused on dental hygiene. Families will also be asked not to participate in any non-study dental screenings or exams for the duration of the investigation.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: AIR-P Dental Toolkit
Families will be provided with the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) Dental Toolkit.
Behavioral: AIR-P Dental Toolkit
The AIR-P Dental Toolkit is designed to provide caregivers with guidance and information related to dental care and support strategies for children with autism spectrum disorder.
Experimental: Parent Training
Families randomized to the Parent Training condition will be provided with the AIR-P Dental Toolkit and individual behavioral parent training comprised of 7 core in-person sessions, including a home visit and a dental office coach, and 4 phone booster sessions.
Behavioral: AIR-P Dental Toolkit
The AIR-P Dental Toolkit is designed to provide caregivers with guidance and information related to dental care and support strategies for children with autism spectrum disorder.
Behavioral: Parent Training
The parent-training intervention integrates strategies shown to be efficacious for: 1) improving adherence to dental care, 2) enhancing dental experiences for children with neurotypical development and high levels of dental fear, and 3) evidence-based behavioral techniques established for children with autism spectrum disorder.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Frequency of Tooth Brushing at Home
Time Frame: Difference in brushing frequency between Baseline and 6 months
Parent-reported frequency of successful (twice-daily) child tooth brushing completed at home during the past week.
Difference in brushing frequency between Baseline and 6 months
Frequency of Tooth Brushing at Home
Time Frame: Difference in brushing frequency between Baseline and 3 months
Parent-reported frequency of successful (twice-daily) child tooth brushing completed at home during the past week.
Difference in brushing frequency between Baseline and 3 months
Child Oral Health According to Standardized Measures From Visual Exam
Time Frame: Difference in oral health between Baseline and 6 months
Dentist ratings of child oral health according to standardized measures from visual exam. Blinded dentists used a standard Visual Plaque Index (VPI) to rate the buccal and lingual non-restored surfaces of index teeth on a 0 to 5 scale (0 = no plaque, 5 = plaque on more than two-thirds of tooth surface). Higher scores index greater visual plaque. VPI Score =Total Score (Max + Mand) / # Surfaces Examined
Difference in oral health between Baseline and 6 months
Child Oral Health According to Standardized Measures From Visual Exam
Time Frame: Difference in oral health between Baseline child and 3 months
Dentist ratings of child oral health according to standardized measures from visual exam. Blinded dentists used a standard Visual Plaque Index (VPI) to rate the buccal and lingual non-restored surfaces of index teeth on a 0 to 5 scale (0 = no plaque, 5 = plaque on more than two-thirds of tooth surface). Higher scores index greater visual plaque. VPI Score =Total Score (Max + Mand) / # Surfaces Examined
Difference in oral health between Baseline child and 3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Child Behavior During Tooth Brushing at Home According to Questionnaire
Time Frame: Difference in child behavior between Baseline and 6 months
Parent-reported child behavioral compliance with home dental hygiene during past week according to questionnaire. Parents reported on the occurrence and severity of 8 behavior problems during the past week's oral hygiene activities (not listening, difficulty sitting/standing still, actively resisting, eloping, fearful/anxious behaviors, screaming/yelling, aggression, and self-injury) using a 0 to 9 scale (0 = no problem, 9 = severe problem). Higher scores index greater behavior problems during home oral hygiene. Items were averaged to produce a single score (α = 0.91).
Difference in child behavior between Baseline and 6 months
Child Behavior During Tooth Brushing at Home According to Questionnaire
Time Frame: Difference in child behavior between Baseline and 3 months
Parent-reported child behavioral compliance with home dental hygiene during past week according to questionnaire. Parents reported on the occurrence and severity of 8 behavior problems during the past week's oral hygiene activities (not listening, difficulty sitting/standing still, actively resisting, eloping, fearful/anxious behaviors, screaming/yelling, aggression, and self-injury) using a 0 to 9 scale (0 = no problem, 9 = severe problem). Higher scores index greater behavior problems during home oral hygiene. Items were averaged to produce a single score (α = 0.91).
Difference in child behavior between Baseline and 3 months
Blinded Dentist Ratings of Caries Using the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index.
Time Frame: Difference in Caries between Baseline and 6 months
Dentists completed the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index (dmft/DMFT) to document the presence and progression of fullmouth caries. The dmft/DMFT indicates the number of primary/permanent teeth that are decayed (d/D), missing due to caries (m/M), and filled (f/F). The scale is from 0 to 32, with 32 being the worst score.
Difference in Caries between Baseline and 6 months
Blinded Dentist Ratings of Caries Using the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index.
Time Frame: Difference in Caries between Baseline and 3 months
Dentists completed the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index (dmft/DMFT)64 to document the presence and progression of fullmouth caries. The dmft/DMFT indicates the number of primary/permanent teeth that are decayed (d/D), missing due to caries (m/M), and filled (f/F).The scale range is 0-32 with 32 being worse.
Difference in Caries between Baseline and 3 months
Blinded Dentist Ratings of Decayed Teeth Using the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index.
Time Frame: Difference in decayed teeth between baseline to 6 months
Dentists completed the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index (dmft/DMFT)64 to document the presence and progression of fullmouth caries. The dmft/DMFT indicates the number of primary/permanent teeth that are decayed (d/D), missing due to caries (m/M), and filled (f/F). The d2/D2 code represents clinically detectable cavitated lesions. The scale range is 0-32 with 32 being worse.
Difference in decayed teeth between baseline to 6 months
Blinded Dentist Ratings of Decayed Teeth Using the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index.
Time Frame: Difference in decayed teeth between baseline and 3 months
Dentists completed the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index (dmft/DMFT)64 to document the presence and progression of fullmouth caries. The dmft/DMFT indicates the number of primary/permanent teeth that are decayed (d/D), missing due to caries (m/M), and filled (f/F). The d2/D2 code represents clinically detectable cavitated lesions. The scale range 0-32 with 32 being worse.
Difference in decayed teeth between baseline and 3 months
Observed Child Anxiety and Behavior at the Dental Office Visit (Venham Anxiety and Behavior Scales)
Time Frame: Difference in anxiety and behavior between Baseline and 6 months
Observed child anxiety and behavior at the dental office visit as indexed by observer ratings on the Venham Anxiety and Behavior Scales (aggregate composite). The scale is 0-5, 5 representing worse.
Difference in anxiety and behavior between Baseline and 6 months
Dentist-reported Child Behavioral Compliance During Dental Office Visit as Indexed by Questionnaire
Time Frame: Difference in behavioral compliance between baseline and at 6 months
Dentist-reported child behavioral compliance with dental visit as indexed by questionnaire. Dentists reported on the occurrence and severity of 8 behavior problems during the dental visit (not listening, difficulty sitting/standing still, actively resisting, eloping, fearful/anxious behaviors, screaming/yelling, aggression, and self-injury) using a 0 to 9 scale (0 = no problem, 9 = severe problem). Items were averaged to produce a single score.
Difference in behavioral compliance between baseline and at 6 months
Completion of Dental Visit Procedures According to Questionnaire
Time Frame: Difference between completion of dental visit procedures at baseline and at 6 months
Dentist-reported completion of visit procedures according to questionnaire (severity of behavior during visit procedures). Behavior problems rated using a 0 to 9 scale (0 = no problem, 9 = severe problem). 9 represents a worse outcome.
Difference between completion of dental visit procedures at baseline and at 6 months

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Family Impact Questionnaire (FIQ)
Time Frame: Difference in parent-reported parenting stress at baseline and at 6 months
Parenting stress associated with parenting the target autistic child. Negative Impact Composite range 0-82; higher scores index greater parenting stress.
Difference in parent-reported parenting stress at baseline and at 6 months
Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC)
Time Frame: Difference in parent-reported perceived parenting competence between baseline and 6 months
Parent-reported perceived parenting self-efficacy according to questionnaire, total score; range 16-96; higher scores index greater parenting self-efficacy.
Difference in parent-reported perceived parenting competence between baseline and 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of California, Irvine

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Nationwide Children's Hospital
California State University, Fullerton
Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Chair: Robin Steinberg-Epstein, MD, University of California, Irvine
  • Principal Investigator: Rachel M Fenning, PhD, University of California-Irvine; California State University-Fullerton
  • Principal Investigator: Eric Butter, PhD, Nationwide Children's Hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 1, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 20, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 23, 2016

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 26, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 19, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 20163043

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

No plan to share IPD data beyond collaborating sites (MGH and NCH).

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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