Smartwatches reveal hidden stress of treating Special-Needs patients
NCT ID NCT07356141
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study will have 10 dental students wear Apple Watches to monitor their heart rate while treating both special-needs and non-special-needs patients. Researchers want to see if stress levels differ between the two types of care. The goal is to better understand occupational stress in dentistry, which could improve training and support for future dentists.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Apple Watch (heart rate monitoring device)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help identify stress patterns in dental students, potentially leading to better support and training for treating special-needs patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early observational study with only 10 students, so results may not apply broadly. It measures heart rate as a proxy for stress, which may not capture all aspects of stress.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 10 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Primary Subjects - Dental Students: Ten (10) dental students enrolled at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry will participate. These students will provide routine clinical care to both special needs and non-special needs patients as part of their standard educational and clinical responsibilities. Secondary Subjects - Patients Receiving Care: Approximately 200 patients will be observed during these clinical sessions, including both special needs patients treated in the Inclusive Care Clinic (ICC) and non-special needs patients treated in other UIC dental clinics. Special needs patients and/or their legally authorized representatives (LARs) will provide consent, and, when appropriate, patients will provide assent.
- Ages
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Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Students (primary subjects) inclusion criteria: After IRB approval, non-supervisory staff or research team members will invite potential participants via UIC email/listservs. Interested students will be screened confirming: (a) good academic standing and current clinical assignment, (b) routine provision of care to both special-needs and non-special needs patients during the data-collection window, (c) willingness to wear an Apple Watch during sessions and complete baseline/end PSQ, and (d) absence of medical/dermatologic conditions that would preclude safe/accurate wrist-worn monitoring. Screening and consent occur privately and outside evaluative contexts. * Patient (secondary subjects) Inclusion criteria: Patients will be screened at the point of care when already scheduled with a participating student. A pre-visit check confirms capacity to consent (or availability of a legally authorized representative/parent/guardian). For minors and/or special needs patients, LAR permission will be obtained in addition to assent to the research. The following criteria will be considered: * Minors and/or Special-needs patients who are scheduled for standard clinical care with a participating student during the study period may be enrolled as secondary subjects provided that their parent/guardian or legally authorized representative (LAR) grants permission during the consent process and the patient assents to the research when appropriate. * Adult Patients with capacity who are scheduled for standard clinical care with a participating student during the study period may be enrolled as secondary subjects provided that are willing to provide informed consent. * Willing to allow an observer and collection of minimal visit-level variables (behavior/cooperation score, sedation status, broad procedure category). * Patients and/or their parent(s), guardian(s), or legally authorized representative(s) providing consent must be able to understand and communicate in English. Exclusion Criteria: * Students (primary subjects) Exclusion criteria: * Not assigned to patient-care rotations during the study window. * Known dermatologic, cardiovascular, neurologic, or other medical conditions that would interfere with safe or accurate HR monitoring or tolerability of a wrist device. * Unwilling or unable to provide consent or follow procedures. * Patients (secondary subjects) Exclusion criteria: * Declines consent/permission/assent or withdraws at any time. * Prisoners or individuals under custodial supervision. * Pregnant women
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry
Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States
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