Table 3c.

GIFVT (ordered from top to bottom, most effective to least effective, and graded A to D)

Retention Strategy	Description	Start	End	Strengths	Weaknesses
Community Outreach Specialist  A	A bilingual/bicultural “case manager” for difficult/hard-to-reach participants follows up with participants via telephone, postcards and while waiting for other appointments at the health centers. The coordinator often searches for new ways to get in contact with individuals whose telephone numbers are no longer in service through secondary numbers.	Study Initiation	Study End	This role allows for a “patient-centric” relationship with participants and their caregivers, and allows the coordinator to identify the causes of missing visits; which can be directly addressed and may help prevent attrition in participation.	This is a time consuming task, and often the coordinator faces difficult people on the other side of the call. However, it is a very effective way to find participants who missed appointments and who have moved out and then have returned to San Diego.
Personalismo and Familismo A	Establishing rapport between staff and participants is vital; thus hiring staff that understands, appreciates and prioritizes the personal touch is extremely important.	Study Initiation	Study End	Staff is bilingual and bicultural and are familiar with the community; moreover, group building activities like birthday celebrations, group outings to help impoverished communities (outside work schedule) motivated the team to work together to improve the lives of the communities served.	Finding the adequate staff may be time-consuming and a challenge when hiring through a federally qualified health center. Finding bilingual/bicultural individuals who also presented computer literacy was challenging, thus bilingualism/biculturalism was leveraged with other essential desired features. Constant training, trial and error and micromanagement at early stages proved to work. Some of the measures to consider are the turnover rate, absenteeism, and conflict rate.
Family/Child Friendly Environment A	The operatory room at one site is decorated with animal characters, toys and a small table is found in the examining room and in the interviewing room. Children are invited to play while the caregiver is being interviewed.	Study Initiation	Study End	Easy to implement; however if the setting does not have enough room, it will be difficult to add a table and chairs with blocks, books and other toys.	It is difficult to measure the impact of this setting; however children often stop by since they are drawn by the decorations and the toys. In addition, parents state how much they like the setting (the nontraditional dental setting)
Invite back participants who miss or skip study visits (Retention Visits) A	Participants are always invited to return for missed or skipped visits. This is important to all visits, but specifically to final (36 month) visits.	Study Initiation	Study End	Easy to implement and allows for continuing contact with families via telephone, postcards or walk-ins.
Post Cards A	Staff identifies participants who have missed a visit or have a disconnected/wrong phone number and send them postcards. The outreach coordinator and other staff members mail out “Reminder” postcards to every participant a week prior to the scheduled visit. The site’s contact information is included in case participants need to reschedule. All materials are available in English and Spanish.	Study Initiation	Study End	The outreach coordinator and other staff members record the number of postcards mailed out in the clinical trials management system (CTMS). In addition, most contacts with participants are also recorded in the CTMS. Returned postcards suggest participants that may have moved away. However, the team continues mailing postcards and some participants return after long periods of absence.
Compensation – FV/Glass Ionomer Sealants Application B	Participants receive a $30 gift card when baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 month visits are completed; and a $60 gift card when 36 month visit is completed ($240 in 3 years total) A sub-sample participates in a sub-study which includes additional activities. These participants receive $60 gift card when baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 month visits are completed; and $90 gift card when 36 month visit is completed ($450 in 3 years total) All children enrolled in the study receive fluoride varnish applications semiannually for 3 years. Individuals in the intervention group receive Glass Ionomer Sealants at baseline, and if required at 12 and 24 month visits.	Study Initiation	Study End	Provides oral health prevention to a population at high risk for ECC. For some participants this is the first contact with an oral health provider, and for others this is the only way to access oral care. In addition, Glass Ionomer Sealants are applied in primary molars to individuals in the intervention group, which is not the standard of care, and hence some families feel very motivated about this treatment.	This population faces multiple obstacles to attend visits (e.g., transportation, relocation, family illness, ill participant, work and school schedule of the individual, caregiver and/or sibling conflict with study visits, weather, etc.). Likewise, the compensation and services received may affect individuals differently depending on expectations and needs.
Raffle C	All participants who attend a study visit in a given month are entered into a drawing to win a $60 gift card. At each study visit participants are informed they are participating in a drawing. At the end of the month, two participants are randomly selected.	2/1/13	Study End	Easy to implement and participants seem motivated by this initiative.	It may be difficult to measure the impact of this initiative.
Birthday Cards C	GIFVT sends a birthday card to each participant in the study each year.	1/2013	Study End	Easy to implement; requires few resources	The effect of the birthday cards is difficult to measure, though anecdotally we have received positive feedback from participants.