Abstract
Primary care and healthcare providers can facilitate children’s timely referral to a dental home. However, there are few studies of providers’ oral health knowledge and clinical skills. This study aims to improve future healthcare providers’ knowledge, confidence, attitude, and clinical competence in assessing children’s oral health. Sixty-five health professional students participated in a 10-week didactic and clinical curriculum on children’s oral health. Fifty students completed pre- and post-training questionnaires and were assessed in their knowledge, confidence, and attitude. Calibrated examiners graded students’ clinical skills on a 24-point grading criterion. Descriptive statistics, paired sample t-test, and Pearson correlation were used in data analyses. Students were in dentistry (46%), nursing (28%), medicine (22%), and pharmacy (3%). Students significantly improved in knowledge (t = −7.71, p < 0.001), confidence (t = −10.30, p = <0.001), and attitude (t = −4.24, p = <0.001). Students on average scored 83% on clinical competence, with the highest average for fluoride varnish application (96%) and lowest for providing anticipatory guidance (69%). There was a moderate correlation between improvement in knowledge and their clinical skills (r = 0.39, p = 0.010). Interprofessional education improves students’ knowledge, confidence, attitude, and clinical competence in assessing children’s oral health. Such education is necessary in guiding future providers to gain adequate competence in serving children’s oral health needs.
Highlights
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that infants be scheduled for an initial oral evaluation visit within six months of the eruption of the first primary tooth, but by no later than 12 months of age [1,2]
We found that students acquired great competence in fluoride varnish application, caries risk assessment, and assessment of oral cavity, but not in providing anticipatory guidance and devising a follow-up plan
This study shows that students significantly improved in their knowledge, confidence, and attitude on children’s oral health after completion of the course
Summary
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that infants be scheduled for an initial oral evaluation visit within six months of the eruption of the first primary tooth, but by no later than 12 months of age [1,2]. Studies have shown that 90% of infants in the United States have seen a primary care provider, but only 2% have received an oral health evaluation before age 1 [3]. A study from 2008 demonstrated that children with public insurance coverage were 1.7 times more likely to have untreated dental caries than children not enrolled in state or government health insurance programs [4]. 72% of tooth surfaces were untreated in 2–5 year-old children [5].
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