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. 2023 Jul 20;18(7):e0288927.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288927. eCollection 2023.

Exploring factors influencing nurses' attitudes towards their role in dental care

Balgis Gaffar  1 , Eman Bakhurji  1 , Reem AlKhateeb  2 , Hussain AlHashim  2 , Hadeel AlGaoud  2 , Ziyad AlDaamah  2 , Jamal AlSaleh  2 , Rand Aldamanhori  2 , Shahad AlHamid  2 , Alanoud AlBarrak  2 , Intisar Ahmad Siddiqui  3 , Jorma I Virtanen  4   5
Affiliations

Exploring factors influencing nurses' attitudes towards their role in dental care

Balgis Gaffar et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: The burden of oral disease requires collaboration between health care professionals. Nurses are frequently exposed to patients and can play a vital role in prevention of oral diseases. This study aimed to investigate nurses' attitudes towards their role in dental care and its associated factors.

Methods: This cross-sectional, survey-based study recruited a total of 525 nurses in Eastern Saudi Arabia, using a snow-ball sampling technique. Data was collected using an online, pre-validated 40-item questionnaire with four domains (attitudes, knowledge, practices, and demographic data).

Results: Nurses showed satisfactory attitudes (52.8 ± 8.2) and average knowledge (13.4 ±3.9). More than two thirds (70.3%) reported responding to patients' questions about oral health conditions, 47.1% and 19.7% conducted oral health screening and education respectively. Referral practices were reported by 266 (50.7%) of the participants with pain being the main reason for referrals. Attending lectures/ trainings on oral health and having a formal education about oral health were significantly associated with nurses' positive attitudes towards their role in dental care (P<0.001). Conducting oral health screening or education were also significantly associated with positive attitudes (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: Positive attitudes were observed among those with undergraduate oral health backgrounds, in continuous education, and those who were involved in oral health screenings. There is a need for under and postgraduate inclusion of oral health training in nurses' education.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Sources of oral health information as reported by the study participants.
(N = 525).
Fig 2
Fig 2. Reasons for dental referrals as reported by nurses.
(N = 525).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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