Abstract
BackgroundMore than 1 million individuals in the U.S. are infected with HIV; approximately 20% of whom do not know they are infected. Early diagnosis of HIV infection results in earlier access to treatment and reductions in HIV transmission. In 2006, the CDC recommended that health care providers offer routine HIV screening to all adolescent and adult patients, regardless of community seroprevalence or patient lifestyle. Dental providers are uniquely positioned to implement these recommendations using rapid oral fluid HIV screening technology. However, thus far, uptake into dental practice has been very limited.MethodsThe study utilized a qualitative descriptive approach with convenience samples of dental faculty and students. Six in-depth one-on-one interviews were conducted with dental faculty and three focus groups were conducted with fifteen dental students.ResultsResults were fairly consistent and indicated relatively high levels of acceptability. Barriers and facilitators of oral fluid HIV screening were identified in four primary areas: scope of practice/practice enhancement, skills/knowledge/training, patient service/patient reactions and logistical issues.ConclusionsOral fluid HIV screening was described as having benefits for patients, dental practitioners and the public good. Many of the barriers to implementation that were identified in the study could be addressed through training and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Highlights
More than 1 million individuals in the U.S are infected with HIV; approximately 20% of whom do not know they are infected
The current study identified multiple benefits of oral fluid HIV testing in academic dental clinics; benefits were identified for patients as well as for dental professionals
The study results highlighted the importance of conducting formative assessments to identify such barriers and develop effective strategies to address them prior to implementing HIV testing in the dental clinic setting
Summary
More than 1 million individuals in the U.S are infected with HIV; approximately 20% of whom do not know they are infected. Diagnosis of HIV infection results in earlier access to treatment and reductions in HIV transmission. Dental providers are uniquely positioned to implement these recommendations using rapid oral fluid HIV screening technology. Late diagnosis of HIV infection is common; 30–40% of individuals who are newly diagnosed with HIV infection have immune suppression when first diagnosed [3,4,5,6], and many develop full-blown AIDS within one year [4,6]. Dental practice sites present unique opportunities for implementing the CDC’s recommendations for routine HIV testing [16]. This study highlighted the potential of dental practice sites to provide HIV testing to patient populations, it must be noted that HIV testing and counseling services in this study were provided by a trained counselor, not by a dentist [17]
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