Eric Thevissen1,2, Hugo De Bruyn1,3, Roos Colman4, Sebastiaan Koole1. 1. Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Dental School, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. 2. Praktijk voor Parodontologie, Hasselt, Belgium. 3. Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. 4. Biostatistics Unit, Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Promoting oral hygiene and stimulating patient's responsibility for his/her personal health remain challenging objectives. The presence of dental hygienists has led to delegation of preventive tasks. However, in some countries, such as Belgium, this profession is not yet legalized. The aim of this exploratory study was to compare the attitude towards oral-hygiene instructions and patient motivational actions by dental hygienists and by general practitioners/periodontists in a context without dental hygienists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire on demographics (six items), oral-hygiene instructions (eight items) and patient motivational actions (six items) was distributed to 241 Dutch dental hygienists, 692 general practitioners and 32 periodontists in Flanders/Belgium. Statistical analysis included Fisher's exact-test, Pearson's chi-square test and multiple (multinomial) logistic regression analysis to observe the influence of profession, age, workload, practice area and chair-assistance. RESULTS: Significant variance was found between general practitioners and dental hygienists (in 13 of 14 items), between general practitioners and periodontists (in nine of 14 items) and between dental hygienists and periodontists (in five of 14 items). In addition to qualification, chair-assistance was also identified as affecting the attitude towards preventive oral care. CONCLUSION: The present study identified divergence in the application of, and experienced barriers and opinions about, oral-hygiene instructions and patient motivational actions between dental hygienists and general practitioners/periodontists in a context without dental hygienists. In response to the barriers reported it is suggested that preventive oriented care may benefit from the deployment of dental hygienists to increase access to qualified preventive oral care.
INTRODUCTION: Promoting oral hygiene and stimulating patient's responsibility for his/her personal health remain challenging objectives. The presence of dental hygienists has led to delegation of preventive tasks. However, in some countries, such as Belgium, this profession is not yet legalized. The aim of this exploratory study was to compare the attitude towards oral-hygiene instructions and patient motivational actions by dental hygienists and by general practitioners/periodontists in a context without dental hygienists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire on demographics (six items), oral-hygiene instructions (eight items) and patient motivational actions (six items) was distributed to 241 Dutch dental hygienists, 692 general practitioners and 32 periodontists in Flanders/Belgium. Statistical analysis included Fisher's exact-test, Pearson's chi-square test and multiple (multinomial) logistic regression analysis to observe the influence of profession, age, workload, practice area and chair-assistance. RESULTS: Significant variance was found between general practitioners and dental hygienists (in 13 of 14 items), between general practitioners and periodontists (in nine of 14 items) and between dental hygienists and periodontists (in five of 14 items). In addition to qualification, chair-assistance was also identified as affecting the attitude towards preventive oral care. CONCLUSION: The present study identified divergence in the application of, and experienced barriers and opinions about, oral-hygiene instructions and patient motivational actions between dental hygienists and general practitioners/periodontists in a context without dental hygienists. In response to the barriers reported it is suggested that preventive oriented care may benefit from the deployment of dental hygienists to increase access to qualified preventive oral care.
Authors: C Jongbloed-Zoet; E M Bol-van den Hil; J La Rivière-Ilsen; M S E van der Sanden-Stoelinga Journal: Int J Dent Hyg Date: 2012-08 Impact factor: 2.477
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