Interprofessional perceptions of dental providers’ engagement in childhood obesity prevention

Abstract

Pediatric dental professionals offer basic dietary guidance on the prevention of dental caries; however, there has been a public health call to action for further engagement in childhood obesity prevention. This cross-sectional study explored how registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) and primary care providers (PCPs) perceive the initiation of weight-, nutrition-, and health-related conversations in a pediatric dental setting using an online survey and mixed methods analysis. Survey respondents were eligible for study inclusion by self-identification as an RDN or PCP (medical doctor, physician assistant, nurse practitioner). One hundred and twenty RDNs and PCPs were recruited by clinicians practicing in the Puget Sound region of Washington State through relevant electronic listservs. Beliefs about the extent to which pediatric dental health providers should engage in childhood obesity prevention varied. Seventy two percent of participants felt comfortable with pediatric dental health providers addressing nutrition topics that relate to oral health, whereas 25% of participants felt comfortable with them offering broader nutrition recommendations. Qualitative analysis revealed three themes and nine subthemes detailing areas of concern about dental engagement in childhood obesity prevention, suggestions for appropriate engagement, and opportunities for interprofessional collaboration. Concern over pediatric dental health providers discussing child weight was highly prevalent, though PCPs displayed a greater openness to this and other forms of dental engagement overall. Interprofessional education, training, and collaboration are needed to understand appropriate forms of childhood obesity prevention across different settings of care. Dental professionals seeking to engage in preventive efforts should continue to recommend avoidance of cariogenic foods/beverages, though further research is needed to understand their role in broader forms of dietary guidance and health conversations with families.