A comparison of the nutritional knowledge of dental, dietetic and nutrition students

Conflicts in dietary messages remain widespread. Such conflicts can have negative effects on the behaviour, motivation and attitudes of individuals. Inconsistencies in dietary advice may be linked to inadequate training of professionals. Literature suggests that the nutrition training of dentists and oral health training of dietitians and nutritionists is limited. This study was designed to provide information on the nutritional knowledge of dental, dietetic and nutrition students and how this conforms to national nutritional guidelines, identifying differences between professional groups and conflicts in undergraduate training. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 124 dental, dietetic and nutrition students at Cardiff University and the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC). Significant inter-group differences (p <0.05) were observed in relation to recommendations concerning the between-mealtime consumption of a wide range of snacks and drinks. Dental students were mainly concerned with oral health problems (for example, acid erosion), while dietetic and nutrition students were mainly concerned with general health problems (for example, obesity). Just over a third of dental students felt that they had received sufficient training in the dietary management of patients. In conclusion, a common risk-factor approach and consistent nutrition guidelines are essential to improve health. In addition, recommendations should be made to incorporate oral health into the training of nutritionists and general health into the training of dentists.