Development of a taxonomy mapping dental services integration: a scoping review protocol

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Dental Public Health
• Healthcare Integration

Background:

• Integrated healthcare delivery necessitates seamless dental service integration.
• A clear representation of dental service integration is lacking for optimization.
• Current research aims to create a bias-minimized taxonomy for integrated dental services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a foundational taxonomy for dental services integrated into the broader health domain.
• To provide a framework for optimizing healthcare organizations through better understanding of dental service integration.
• To minimize historical, cultural, and epistemological biases in the classification of dental services.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review protocol adhering to Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• A two-phase dynamic screening process using PubMed and potentially other databases/grey literature.
• Iterative search strategies and taxon saturation to ensure comprehensive identification of integrated dental service categories.

Main Results:

• The review will analyze published secondary data to identify and categorize integrated dental services.
• A comprehensive taxonomy will be developed, applicable to micro- and meso-levels of healthcare organization.
• The findings will capture the full spectrum of possible dental service integration within healthcare.

Conclusions:

• The developed taxonomy will serve as a crucial tool for policymakers, healthcare organizers, researchers, and professionals.
• It will facilitate optimized organizational strategies for integrated dental care.
• Dissemination through publications, conferences, and professional networks will promote adoption and further research.