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The aims of this commentary are threefold; firstly, we summarize changes in oral health behaviour change research and practice; secondly, we identify key barriers and challenges proposing practical ways to overcome them; and finally, we showcase key developments on the global and local stage outlining key opportunities for the future of oral health behaviour change. Not applicable. Advancements, including the Capability‐Opportunity‐Motivation (COM‐B), Motivation, Action regulation‐Prompts (MAP) and the Goal setting, Planning and Self‐Monitoring (GPS) models have showcased a range of evidence‐based opportunities to deliver oral health behaviour change. Despite their merits, oral health behaviour change still faces barriers and challenges that limit its scope, applicability and practicability for oral health professionals. Recent developments on the global and local stage have highlighted the important role oral health behaviour change has to play for the future of oral health. We provide practical examples to show how these advancements can be delivered in practice, noting that learnings from other disciplines can help shape the future of oral health behaviour change. A combination of encouraging signs and recent, positive developments have resulted in an unprecedented focus on oral health behaviour change. Through ongoing and future research, meaningful changes to the oral health of the population through applied behavioural science are in sight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The International Caries Classification and Management System (ICCMS™), a comprehensive, evidence‐informed, best clinical practice system, comprises a 4D cycle: 1D‐Determine risk; 2D‐Detect and assess lesions; 3D‐Decide on a personalized care plan; and 4D‐Do preventive and tooth‐preserving care. The aim of this study was to establish how Colombian dental practitioners, educators and students diagnose and manage caries risk and caries lesions using the COM‐B model and the ICCMS™ system. Methods: A total of 1094 participants (practitioners: n = 277; educators: n = 212; students: n = 605) completed a previously validated 79‐item questionnaire which explores, based on the COM‐B model, the practitioners' self‐reported caries diagnosis and management behaviours. Descriptive statistics, Welch's ANOVAs and multiple linear regressions were computed. Results: All groups generally performed the behaviours within the 4‐D categories 'Most of the time' to 'Always' (students: 4.06 ± 0.95; educators: 3.94 ± 0.98; practitioners: 3.86 ± 1.01). The most frequently performed diagnosis behaviours (1D/2D) were for practitioners assessing initial/moderate lesions (4.09 ± 1.01) and for educators and students cleaning teeth before lesion assessment (4.41 ± 0.80 and 4.38 ± 0.77 respectively). The least frequently performed decision/management (3D/4D) behaviour was non‐operative care for moderate‐caries lesions (when applicable) (practitioners: 2.64 ± 1.23; educators: 2.68 ± 1.17; students: 3.22 ± 1.41). Opportunity (Resources and Relevance) was the best COM‐B predictor for diagnostic behaviours, whereas capability and opportunity (Relevance) were the strongest predictors for management behaviours. Conclusion: Colombian practitioners, educators and students diagnose and manage caries risk and caries lesions implementing best practice with a high to very high frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundOrthodontic treatment is a common health care intervention; treatment duration can be lengthy (2-3 years on average), and adherence to treatment advice is therefore essential for successful outcomes. It has been reported that up to 43% of patients fail to complete treatment, and there are currently no useful predictors of noncompletion. Given that the National Health Service England annual expenditure on primary-care orthodontic treatment is in excess of £200 million (US $267 million), noncompletion of treatment represents a significant inefficient use of public resources. Improving adherence to treatment is therefore essential. This necessitates behavior change, and interventions that improve adherence and are designed to elicit behavioral change must address an individual’s capability, opportunity, and motivation. Mobile phones are potentially an invaluable tool in this regard, as they are readily available and can be used in a number of ways to address an individual’s capability, opportunity, and motivation. ObjectiveThis study will assess the effectiveness and acceptability of a personalized mobile phone app in improving adherence to orthodontic treatment advice by way of a randomized controlled trial. MethodsThis study will be conducted in 2 phases at the Eastman Dental Hospital, University College London Hospitals Foundation Trust. Phase 1 is feasibility testing of the My Braces app. Participants will be asked to complete the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale. The app will be amended following analysis of the responses, if appropriate. Phase 2 is a randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness and acceptability of the My Braces app. ResultsThis study was approved by the London – Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee on November 5, 2019 (reference 19/LO/1555). No patients have been recruited to date. The anticipated start date for recruitment to phase 1 is October 2020. ConclusionsGiven the availability, affordability, and versatility of mobile phones, it is proposed that they will aid in improving adherence to treatment advice and hence improve treatment completion rates. If effective, the applicability of this methodology to developing behavior change/modification interventions and improving adherence to treatment across health care provides an exciting opportunity. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04184739; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04184739 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/18021