Making HIV testing in hospital dental clinics easier and more used
Official title: Effectiveness of comprehensive ETE interventions in the dental setting
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11569149 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A hospital-based dental program in NYC tests and screens patients for HIV and explores adding at-home self-testing to boost reach and lighten clinician workload.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2021 |
| Project end | September 23, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,997 |
| NIH project number | 3UH3DE031258-06S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11569149 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults visiting hospital-based dental clinics in NYC, especially those from neighborhoods with higher HIV prevalence.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not participate in HIV testing or self-testing may not receive any direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at using a bundle of HIV testing and linkage-to-care steps in hospital-based dental clinics to see how acceptable, feasible, and effective they are. It builds on IT supports like EMR alerts to prompt dentists to offer testing and on how the dental team structure affects uptake. The administrative supplement will test offering HIV self-testing as an option to reach patients who decline point-of-care testing and to reduce provider burden. Learnings will be synthesized into practical resources so other dental clinics can implement HIV testing more easily.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more people in high HIV areas could learn their status and connect to care through dental visits.
How similar studies have gone: Prior IT-enabled HIV testing approaches in dental settings showed acceptability and feasibility; this study tests added self-testing to improve reach.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yin, Michael T — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Yin, Michael T
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.