Page 108 - JCTR-11-4

Journal of Clinical and
Translational Research COVID-19 impact on SBDSPs

Table 1. Workforce capacity, crisis management, and re‑implementation processes, challenges, and adaptation measures assessed
for school‑based dental sealant programs
Variables assessed Measures Interview question examples
COVID-19 impact We assessed the impact of COVID-19 (i) How did the closure of your program because of COVID-19
on each organization, SBDSP, and impact your job?
workforce capacity. (ii) How did the COVID shutdown impact the SBDSP staff?
What happened to them? Did they file for unemployment or
transfer to other programs?
Workforce capacity We assessed each organization’s SBDSP (i) How many employees did you have working with the SBDSP
Staff size workforce capacity regarding staff before the pandemic? What happened to them when the
size, training, turnover, and scale-up program was shut down?
Staff turnover concerning school recruitment before (ii) How many employees do you have working with the SBDSP
Staff rebuilding and during the pandemic. now? Are they the same as before the pandemic?
De-implementation- We assessed each organization’s (i) How did the agency plan to implement the program during
crisis management planning: SBDSP’s pre-implementation planning the pandemic?
Key informant to resume program services during • Was there a planning committee?
the pandemic, specific to the key • Who was involved in the committee?
Planning process informants’ committee and associated • What were the topics/issues addressed by the committee?
Planning decisions planning processes (e.g., length of (ii) Did you pilot-test the SBDSP before implementing it during
the planning processes, who was the pandemic?
Guidance and consultants involved, planning meetings frequency, • Can you describe what was done in the pilot test? What
De-implementation length, modality, topics discussed, was learned from that?
adaptations and participatory decision-making (iii) Does the agency have an operation manual specific to its
processes). We also assessed each SBDSP? (Yes, No)
organization’s planning considerations • (If yes) Does the manual include processes specific to
specific to the school recruitment/ implementing the program during the pandemic? (yes, no)
engagement, communication, and
workforce capacity, including staff size,
turnover, and rebuilding.
Re-implementation process, We assessed the full re-implementation (i) Can you walk me through your program delivery routine
challenges, and adaptations involved in delivering the SBDSPs. We during the pandemic?
also assessed the re-implementation (ii) Did you face any challenges recruiting schools into the
timelines, the challenges experienced, program during the pandemic? What type of challenges?
and adaptations utilized during that How did you solve them? Were you involved in the
process. problem-solving process?
Abbreviation: SBDSP: School-based dental sealant program.

Table 2. Summary of organizational characteristics

Characteristics Case
1 2 3 4 5 6
Organization type Nonprofit For-profit FQHC FQHC FQHC FQHC
Service area a Rural Rural Urban Urban Rural Rural
Number of employees 4 4 4 4 3 4
Number of schools served b 28 22 22 17 10 15
Number of personnel interviewed c 2 1 2 2 1 2
a
b
Notes: Refers to the service area: the single county where the program is providing services; Refers to the number of schools served during the 2021
– 2022 school year; Refers to the number of personnel interviewed: Program personnel who participated in the current study. Participating personnel
c
from organizations 2 and 5 held multiple roles within the organization, including administrative (e.g., director, manager, and supervisor) and clinical
(i.e., expanded practice dental hygienists). Main interviews were collected approximately 2 years post the COVID crisis.
Abbreviation: FQHC: Federally qualified health center.
program managers and dental hygienists (n = 6) within Case 1 participants (n = 2) included the program director
three FQHCs (Cases 3, 4, and 6). Case 5 participant (n = 1) and a dental hygienist. Case 2 participant (n = 1) was the
occupied multiple roles (manager and dental hygienist). SBDSP director and dental hygienist.

Volume 11 Issue 4 (2025) 102 doi: 10.36922/jctr.24.00074