Perceptions and Attitudes of Healthcare Providers Towards Employing an Oral Health Assessment Tool for Patients with...

We investigated the perception and attitudes of health care providers who manage patients with diabetes mellitus on the routine employment of an oral health assessment tool (OHAT) in diabetes management. A survey was conducted among health care providers practicing in underserved areas (N=54). Most providers acknowledged that oral health has an impact on diabetes, with participants identifying poor periodontal health as a contributing factor, and that untreated periodontitis influences patients' response to diabetes therapy. Conversely, health care professionals responded in the affirmative that blood glucose levels affect oral health, and the status of periodontal health and maintenance differs between patients with diabetes and other patients. Most providers also acknowledged that their institution currently has no OHAT for patients with diabetes. Despite this, most health care professionals are willing to incorporate an OHAT in their current diabetes self-management education curricula.