Edgar Beltran

Dr. Edgar Beltran

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 February 2024 in Research Square
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SMStefania Martignon
Stefania Martignon
EBEdgar Beltran
Edgar Beltran
GDGail Veronica Ann Douglas
Gail Veronica Ann Douglas
JNJonathon Timothy Newton
Jonathon Timothy Newton
NPNigel B. Pitts
Nigel B. Pitts
APAndrea Cortés Páez
Andrea Cortés Páez
Background:In 2020, CariesCare International (CCI) -derived from ICCMS- was plannedto be tested for caries-control effectiveness in children by means of a multicenter randomized clinical trial (RCT). Nevertheless, due to the pandemic, RCTs proved unfeasible and aerosol-generating procedures (AGP) were associated with a spread of COVID-19. Consequently, the study design required to be modified to a single-interventional study and CCI had to be adapted excluding AGP and reducing on-site consultation (CCI-adapted). Objective: This 12-month multicenter single-group interventional study aimed at assessing the effect of a pandemic CCI-adapted protocol on caries control in children. Methods: Twenty-one Latin American and European centers with n³20 3-8-year-old children per center were invited to participate; 17 obtained IRB and signed written informed consents. Trained examiners assessed at baseline (T0) and 1-year follow-up (T1y) (blind to the intervention): CCI-caries risk, oral-health-related practices; dmf/DMFS with ICDAS-merged-Epi visual caries severity and activity criteria; dental sepsis and toothache. Individual- and tooth-surface-level personalized care plan was then performed by dental practitioners previously trained in CCI-adapted. After 5 months, parents’ and dentists’ dental-care-process acceptance (Treatment Evaluation Inventory) was assessed. The one-year caries-control effect of CCI-adapted was assessed in terms of tooth-surface and individual-level caries-progression control; oral-health behavior improvement, and caries-care system acceptability. Results: Sixteen centers finished the study (94.1%; Latin America: n=13; Europe: n=3), with 337 children (78.6%;mean age of 5.5±1.6 years). There was a T0 to T1y significant decrease (p<0.05) in the mean number of tooth surfaces with caries lesions (7.7±9.1 to 2.8±4.6), with active caries lesions (6.8±8.8 to 0.8±2.2), and a tooth-surface caries-progression control of 99.3%. In the majority of children there was a significant (p<0.05) control of: caries progression (79.5%), high-caries risk (86.6%), and non-adequate oral-health behavior (72.7%). There was a very high (parents) and a high-very high (dentists) acceptability of CCI. Conclusion: Given the challenge of the pandemic, this single-group interventional CCI-adapted study showed one-year control of caries progression, caries risk, and high parents’ and dentists’ CCI acceptance. Trial registration:Retrospectively‐registered‐ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04666597 07/12/2020 (Protocol version 2): https://register.clinicaltrials. gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S000AGM4&selectaction=Edit&uid=U00019IE&ts=2&cx=uwje3h