Dental hygienists’ knowledge of HIV, attitudes towards people with HIV and willingness to conduct rapid HIV testing

Abstract

To normalize rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing in the United States, expanded rapid HIV testing initiatives are needed outside the routine medical setting. The dental setting is a logical choice as almost two-thirds of Americans regularly see a dental provider each year. This study was aimed to determine the dental hygienists' knowledge of HIV, attitudes towards people living with HIV and willingness to conduct rapid HIV testing. A national cross-sectional survey of practicing dental hygienists and senior dental hygiene students were recruited using state dental hygiene associations, email LISTSERVS, dental hygiene programmes and continuing education conferences (n = 634). The mean knowledge score was 10.5/13. High versus low test-scorers (75% of test questions or more answered correctly versus less than 75% answered correctly) did differ in their comfort level in counselling about sexual HIV prevention methods (P = 0.03) and comfort level in working with medically compromised patients (P = 0.04). Dental hygienists, with additional training in HIV prevention counseling and diagnostic testing, may be an appropriate profession to conduct rapid HIV testing.