UL Smile Mobile Application for Oral Health Promotion in Portuguese Adolescents: Randomized Controlled Field Trial

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a mobile health application called "UL Smile," designed to promote oral health among Portuguese adolescents aged 15 to 18 years. This study is part of a doctoral research project at the University of Lisbon and aims to test the app's effectiveness as a complement to dental hygiene consultations. Oral diseases like dental caries and gum inflammation are common and impact quality of life, and this app seeks to improve oral self-care behaviors and health outcomes with evidence-based features. The study involves two main phases: the development of the app and a randomized controlled trial. The app was created by a multidisciplinary team using the Behaviour Change Wheel model, offering personalized features such as interactive toothbrushing guidance, educational videos, reminders, motivational messages, and a section for professional advice. In the trial, participants are randomly assigned by class to an experimental group that uses the app alongside oral hygiene consultations or a control group that receives the same consultations with traditional educational materials. Both groups receive hygiene kits and are assessed at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months. Participants will complete questionnaires and undergo clinical oral health assessments at three time points over three months, measuring dental plaque, gingival inflammation, caries risk, and oral self-care behaviors. The study also evaluates app usage, satisfaction, and perceived usefulness. All procedures take place at schools, and data are securely stored and analyzed using statistical methods. The research aims to provide evidence on the app's potential to support oral health promotion among adolescents.

UL Smile: A Mobile Health Application to Promote Oral Health in Portuguese Adolescents