Identifying a Core Outcomes Set in Endodontics: a Delphi Study

Objectives: Core outcome sets (COS) represent the minimum outcomes that should be measured and reported in all clinical trials of a specific condition. This study aims to identify a COS related to Nonsurgical Endodontic Treatment, Retreatment, Surgical Endodontics, Vital Pulp Therapy, Apexification, and Regenerative Endodontics.
Methods: A comprehensive list of outcomes was developed by reviewing the existing scoping reviews on endodontic outcomes. This was supplemented with a qualitative study with patients and a web-based survey completed by members of the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) listserv to identify additional outcomes. Following COMET initiative guidance and COS-STAD recommendations, we will use a two-round Delphi survey to seek consensus on the most important outcomes. The survey will be completed by clinicians, patients/their parents, and researchers. In the first round, participants will rate the outcome importance for each of the endodontic treatments using a 9-point Likert scale, and suggest additional outcomes. In the second round, participants will review their individual rating and the group results from round 1 and re-rate each outcome. The survey will be followed up with an online consensus meeting to ratify the results of the Delphi survey and agree the COS.
Results: A total of 226 AAE clinicians participated in the survey and suggested 29 outcomes, with 2 of them being novel. The final list of outcomes included 278 outcomes related to all endodontic treatments. The Delphi surveys are set to begin in November 2023, and the results will be ready for presentation at the meeting.
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Conclusions: This COS will be a valuable tool for guiding future research in the field of endodontics. By defining the minimum important outcomes related to endodontic treatments that matter to stakeholders, heterogeneity and reporting bias in future research will be mitigated. This, in turn, will enhance evidence synthesis, advance the field, and increase the relevance of research.