Antimicrobial resistance is a global health and patient safety emergency driven by the unnecessary use of antimicrobial drugs. The UK Government’s 20-year Vision for antimicrobial resistance identifies diagnostic stewardship as central to its approach to controlling and containing the problem.
Dentistry is responsible for over 10% of antibiotics prescribed across NHS primary care, with around 80% unnecessary or inappropriate use. Whilst diagnostic tools are available to all dentist, too often they do not use them when deciding whether to prescribe an antibiotic. Our previous research has identified some potential reasons for this, including habits learned during early career (foundation) training.
The aims of this study is to develop a behaviour change intervention to reduce dental antibiotic prescribing by improving diagnostic stewardship for acute conditions during urgent dental appointments.
Aims:
To investigate what guidelines/evidence are used in primary dental care across the UK for the diagnosis of acute dental pain and infection.
To understand barriers and facilitators to dentists successfully diagnosing conditions during urgent dental appointments
To explore changes in how these barriers and facilitators are experienced by foundation dentists through their training year.
To develop a behaviour change intervention to improve diagnostic stewardship as part of national efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance
Methods:
This project will include a national survey to establish what guidelines or evidence are in use in urgent dental care nationally. It will utilise mixed methods and involve the development of a survey and qualitative methods to better understand the barriers and facilitators to clinicians diagnosing acute dental pain and infection during urgent dental appointments, with a particular focus on foundation dentists. The final part of the project will involve the development of an evidence-based, behavioural science informed diagnostic stewardship intervention for use during urgent dental appointments.
https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/researchers/wendy-thompson(b50c5c77-1cc2-49d5-b868-154a234ddb69).html
https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/lucy.omalley.html
https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/researchers/lucie-byrnedavis(29e7e528-d284-4fcf-81c9-413b40cb542d)/contact.html
Entry Requirements
Applicants must have obtained or be about to obtain a First or Upper Second class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science, engineering or technology.
How to Apply
To be considered for this project you MUST submit a formal online application form - full details on how to apply can be found on the MRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) website www.manchester.ac.uk/mrcdtpstudentships
Applicants interested in this project should make direct contact with the Primary Supervisor to arrange to discuss the project further as soon as possible.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. The full Equality, diversity and inclusion statement can be found on the website https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/apply/equality-diversity-inclusion/
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