Premium
Reorienting a paediatric oral health service towards prevention: lessons from a qualitative study of dental professionals
Author(s) -
Cashmore Aaron W.,
Noller Jennifer,
Ritchie Jan,
Johnson Bronwyn,
Blinkhorn Anthony S.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
health promotion journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2201-1617
pISSN - 1036-1073
DOI - 10.1071/he11017
Subject(s) - thematic analysis , focus group , medicine , nursing , qualitative research , public health , dental auxiliary , health promotion , dental assistant , promotion (chess) , family medicine , service (business) , medical education , social science , marketing , sociology , politics , political science , law , business , economy , economics
Issue addressed Reorienting primary care dental services towards prevention is a priority for improving the oral health of Australian children with extensive dental caries. We explored the attitudes and beliefs of dental staff about the factors that helped or hindered the establishment and implementation of a hospital‐based parent counselling program to manage existing, and prevent new, carious lesions in children. A further aim was to explore the influence of the program on the hospital's reorientation to prevention. Methods Eight of nine program staff participated in two focus group interviews, and two co‐ordinating staff participated in semi‐structured interviews. Interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed. Interview recordings and transcripts were analysed by qualitative thematic analysis. Results The participants identified a number of factors that they felt influenced the establishment and implementation of the program, including the dental team's support of the initiative, the advantages of building on existing clinic infrastructure and procedures, the utility of harnessing dental assistants as a resource for oral health promotion, and the confidence of dental professionals to provide parent counselling. Conclusion Efforts to establish a preventive program in a public paediatric dental service should ensure that all members of the dental team are engaged during all phases of the program, that dental assistants are trained and supported to deliver parent counselling, and that interprofessional partnerships with services such as dietetics are fostered. So what? The establishment of the program catalysed a broader focus on, and a stronger commitment to, oral health promotion. This study has highlighted the potential for reorientation of dental services towards oral health promotion and the steps that will enable this to be embedded within practice.