Dear Colleague:
We invite you to join The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (National Dental PBRN or “network”). By completing this enrollment questionnaire, you will become part of a major effort by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) to lead the nation in advancing dental practice-based research. The National Dental PBRN is a consortium of participating practices and dental organizations committed to carrying out research aimed at advancing knowledge and improving dental practice and oral health outcomes.
We are requesting that all colleagues complete this questionnaire so that current information about your practice or dental organization is on file. If you have completed the enrollment questionnaire before, you will be able to update/confirm a prepopulated questionnaire.
We estimate that completing this questionnaire will take approximately 20 minutes. After participating in this questionnaire, you may be contacted regarding participation in future research projects.
Your responses will remain confidential. Only authorized network personnel will have access to data. All information about you and your practice will be stored in a secure manner, and will not be sold, released to any insurance company, or released to any other similar interest. If you choose to participate in a network study, the data you provide in the enrollment questionnaire may be used to understand how practice and practitioner characteristics mediate the effects of interventions on study outcomes.
In addition, the National Institutes of Health provides a Certificate of Confidentiality for practitioners who participate in a study to help us keep your information confidential. This Certificate provides a way that network personnel cannot be forced to disclose information that may identify you, even by a court subpoena, in any federal, state, or local civil, criminal, administrative, legislative, or other proceedings. The Certificate cannot be used to resist a demand for information from personnel of the United States Government that is used for auditing or evaluation of federally funded projects or for information that must be disclosed in order to meet the requirements of the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A Certificate of Confidentiality does not prevent you or a member of your family from voluntarily releasing information about yourself or your involvement in network research. If an insurer, employer, or other person obtains your written consent to receive research information, then the researchers may not use the Certificate to withhold that information.
Results of network studies may be published for scientific purposes, but your identity will not be revealed. Only statistical summaries will be presented. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Institutional Review Board (IRB) maintains the authority to inspect completed questionnaires to ensure compliance with IRB procedures.
If you have any additional questions, please contact Muna Anabtawi, National Dental PBRN Program Manager, by email at nationaldpbrn@uab.edu or by telephone at (205) 934-2578.
If you have any questions about your rights as a network participant, or concerns or complaints about network research, you may contact the UAB Office of the IRB (OIRB) at (205) 934-3789 or toll free at 1-855- 860-3789. Regular hours for the OIRB are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday. You may also call this number in the event a network staff member cannot be reached, or you wish to talk to someone else.
With regards,
Gregg Gilbert, DDS, MBA, FAAHD, FICD
National Network Director
The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network