Trial Outcomes & Findings for VR Smoking Cessation During a Dental Hygiene Visit (NCT NCT04524533)

Recruitment occurred using electronic dental records of dental patients at two university-affiliated dental clinics.

N=695 provided informed consent to participation; n=240 were excluded before randomization (n=63 dental clinic cancelled appointment/changed procedure; n=12 did not opt into the text message program; n=52 did not complete baseline questionnaire; n=58 did not attend the clinic appointment; n=18 rescreened ineligible in-clinic; n=22 no longer interested; n=15 study team cancelled appointment). N=455 randomized; n=15 were ineligible post-randomization (dental provider cancelled/changed procedure)

VR Smoking Cessation During a Dental Hygiene Visit

Self-reported use of any Evidence-Based Treatment (EBT) for smoking cessation. Participants indicated whether they used any EBT during the study. EBT is defined according to clinical practice guidelines and include: counseling (individual or group counseling at a clinic or community center and telehealth), a telephone quit line (Massachusetts quitline), quit smoking text-message programs (National Cancer Institute's "SmokefreeTXT" or Massachusetts quitline text program), Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler), and non-nicotine quit smoking medications (bupropion or varenicline).

Objectively verified use of the following EBT: the text message program SmokefreeTXT and/or the Massachusetts state quitline. Verification of use will occur through review of usage databases from the vendors.

Self-reported use of combination EBT defined according to clinical guidelines as use of a pharmacologic product (NRT or non-nicotine medications) combined with behavioral support (counseling, quitline, or text-message program).

Self-reported use of the total number of EBT computed by counting the different type of EBTs used for smoking cessation in any combination (range 0 - 4).

TM and questionnaire assessment of self-reported use of any Evidence-Based Treatment (EBT) for smoking cessation. Participants indicated whether they used any EBT during the study (for the intervention group, responses were also obtained through text message assessments during the course of the study). EBT is defined according to clinical practice guidelines and include: counseling (individual or group counseling at a clinic or community center and telehealth), a telephone quit line (Massachusetts quitline), quit smoking text-message programs (National Cancer Institute's "SmokefreeTXT" or Massachusetts quitline text program), Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler), and non-nicotine quit smoking medications (bupropion or varenicline).

Participants self-report of no smoking, not even a puff, in the preceding 7 days.

Participants self-report of no smoking, not even a puff, in the preceding 7 days will be biochemically confirmed through salivary cotinine analysis using the clinically recommended cut off level (\<15 ng/mL = verified abstinent).

Self-reported motivation to quit smoking within 30 days. Participants who did not quit smoking (non-abstinent) during the study indicated whether they are ready to quit smoking within 30 days.

Self-reported attempts to quit smoking for at least 24 hours. Participants indicated whether they made any attempt to quit smoking for at least 24 hours because they were trying to quit (not due to illness or hospitalization)

A 10-item questionnaire measuring satisfaction with the video experience (6 items) and satisfaction with the virtual reality (VR) headset experience (4 items). Each item is rated on a 1 ("not satisfied at all") to 7 ("very satisfied") scale and average scores are computed for each scale. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

The utilization index score (UIS) is computed as the sum of the utilization dose of each evidence-based treatment (EBT) for smoking cessation used by participants (range 0 - 100). Higher scores mean a better outcome.