What do systematic reviews say?

ACT subsidies combined with supportive interventions vs no subsidies

• Subsidising artemisinin‐based combination therapy in the private retail sector 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 1 participants
  High

ACT subsidies combined with supportive interventions vs no subsidies

• Subsidising artemisinin‐based combination therapy in the private retail sector 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 3 participants
  GRADE not reported

Behaviour change / oral health promotion interventions delivered by non-dental professionals and health workers (nurses, midwives, health visitors, community health workers) vs control (no intervention/usual care/isotonic exercise)

Behaviour change interventions delivered by non-dental health workers produced a small, statistically significant reduction in caries experience at the surface level (dmfs SMD -0.15, 95% CI -0.25 to -0.04; 12 studies); the review judged the overall evidence to be of low quality (not GRADE-rated).

• The effectiveness of behaviour change interventions delivered by non-dental health workers in promoting children's… 2022 All outcomes

  Primary care and community settings; interventions delivered by non-dental health workers (multiple countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, UK, USA, etc.)
  SMD -0.15 [-0.25, -0.04]
  12 studies
  GRADE not reported

Behaviour change / oral health promotion interventions delivered by non-dental professionals and health workers (nurses, midwives, health visitors, community health workers) vs control (no intervention/usual care/isotonic exercise)

Behaviour change interventions delivered by non-dental health workers produced a small-to-moderate, statistically significant reduction in caries experience at the tooth level (dmft SMD -0.34, 95% CI -0.54 to -0.13; 6 studies); the review judged the overall evidence to be of low quality (not GRADE-rated).

• The effectiveness of behaviour change interventions delivered by non-dental health workers in promoting children's… 2022 All outcomes

  Primary care and community settings; interventions delivered by non-dental health workers (multiple countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, UK, USA, etc.)
  SMD -0.34 [-0.54, -0.13]
  6 studies
  GRADE not reported

Primary school-based interventions (one or more of: school health policy, oral health education, healthy school environment, access to oral health services, community involvement) vs usual practice

School-based interventions may reduce dental plaque scores (SMD -0.32, favouring intervention), but the certainty of evidence is very low.

• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean)
  SMD -0.32 [-0.46, -0.18]
  7 studies · 3339 participants
  Very low

Primary school-based interventions (one or more of: school health policy, oral health education, healthy school environment, access to oral health services, community involvement) vs usual practice

The effect of school-based interventions on gingival scores is uncertain and not statistically significant (SMD 0.12; very low certainty).

• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean)
  SMD 0.12 [-0.32, 0.55]
  3 studies · 1573 participants
  Very low

Primary school-based interventions (one or more of: school health policy, oral health education, healthy school environment, access to oral health services, community involvement) vs usual practice

Among children aged 6-8 years, DMFT scores were significantly reduced (SMD -0.11); subgroup not separately GRADE-rated.

• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Age 6-8 years
  SMD -0.11 [-0.17, -0.04]
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported
• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · <=3 intervention activities
  SMD -0.58 [-1.62, 0.45]
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported
• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  <2 years · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Intervention duration <2 years
  SMD 0.01 [-0.16, 0.18]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported

Primary school-based interventions (one or more of: school health policy, oral health education, healthy school environment, access to oral health services, community involvement) vs usual practice

Oral-health-education interventions significantly reduced net increment in DMFS (SMD -1.05); no significant subgroup difference vs other interventions (P=0.74).

• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Intervention type: oral health education
  SMD -1.05 [-2.03, -0.08]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · WHO health-promoting-schools framework
  SMD -0.57 [-1.56, 0.42]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Non-WHO-framework interventions
  SMD -1.88 [-3.15, -0.60]
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Primary school-based interventions (one or more of: school health policy, oral health education, healthy school environment, access to oral health services, community involvement) vs usual practice

School-based interventions may reduce the prevalence of dental caries (RR 0.70, favouring intervention), but the certainty of evidence is very low.

• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean)
  RR 0.70 [0.53, 0.94]
  4 studies · 2968 participants
  Very low
• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  <2 years · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Intervention duration <2 years
  RR 0.95 [0.75, 1.21]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  >=2 years · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Intervention duration >=2 years
  RR 0.58 [0.40, 0.84]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Primary school-based interventions (one or more of: school health policy, oral health education, healthy school environment, access to oral health services, community involvement) vs usual practice

Among children aged 5-8 years, net increment in DMFT was not significantly reduced (SMD -0.36); no significant subgroup difference by age.

• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Age 5-8 years
  SMD -0.36 [-0.76, 0.04]
  5 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean)
  SMD -0.34 [-0.69, 0.02]
  5 studies · 5492 participants
  Very low
• Effectiveness of primary school-based interventions in improving oral health of children in low- and middle-income… 2022 All outcomes

  Post-intervention; follow-up varied across studies (interventions ranged from <2 years to >=2 years and longer) · Primary schools in low- and middle-income countries (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, eastern Mediterranean) · Age 9-12 years
  SMD -0.20 [-0.44, 0.04]
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Psychological / counselling interventions (counselling, acupuncture, cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation therapy, behaviour modification, electromyographic biofeedback, hypnosis, re-education) vs Another intervention, or no intervention

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for iatrogenic inferior alveolar and lingual nerve injury 2014 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Results: 'No studies evaluated ... psychological interventions.' No eligible RCT of psychological / counselling interventions (CBT, relaxation, behaviour modification, biofeedback, hypnosis, re-education, acupuncture).
  0 studies
  No studies found

Complex information, support and training interventions vs inactive control (usual care care, attention control, waitlist)

• Remotely delivered information, training and support for informal caregivers of people with dementia 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  9 studies · 597 participants
  Moderate

Complex information, support and training interventions vs information only

Complex information, support and training interventions probably leads to higher dropouts for any reason compared with information provision only (moderate certainty).

• Remotely delivered information, training and support for informal caregivers of people with dementia 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.51 [1.04, 2.2]
  12 studies · 1266 participants
  Moderate

Complex information, support and training interventions vs information only

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Remotely delivered information, training and support for informal caregivers of people with dementia 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Complex information, support and training interventions vs information only

It is very uncertain whether complex information, support and training interventions changes institutional care ‐ nursing home placement compared with information provision only (very low certainty).

• Remotely delivered information, training and support for informal caregivers of people with dementia 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.67 [0.12, 60.93]
  1 study · 32 participants
  Very low

Complex information, support and training interventions vs inactive control (usual care care, attention control, waitlist)

• Remotely delivered information, training and support for informal caregivers of people with dementia 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  8 studies · 638 participants
  Moderate

Complex information, support and training interventions vs inactive control (usual care care, attention control, waitlist)

• Remotely delivered information, training and support for informal caregivers of people with dementia 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 311 participants
  Moderate

Complex information, support and training interventions vs inactive control (usual care care, attention control, waitlist)

Complex information, support and training interventions showed no clear difference in dropouts for any reason compared with usual treatment, waiting list or attention control informations (low certainty).

• Remotely delivered information, training and support for informal caregivers of people with dementia 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.15 [0.87, 1.53]
  8 studies · 661 participants
  Low

Complex information, support and training interventions vs inactive control (usual care care, attention control, waitlist)

Complex information, support and training interventions showed no clear difference in use of health and social resources compared with usual treatment, waiting list or attention control informations (moderate certainty).

• Remotely delivered information, training and support for informal caregivers of people with dementia 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  Rate ratio 1.05 [0.93, 1.19]
  1 study · 4776 participants
  Moderate

Complex information, support and training interventions vs inactive control (usual care care, attention control, waitlist)

It is very uncertain whether complex information, support and training interventions changes institutional care ‐ nursing home placement compared with usual treatment, waiting list or attention control informations (very low certainty).

• Remotely delivered information, training and support for informal caregivers of people with dementia 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.59 [0.11, 3.11]
  1 study · 34 participants
  Very low