Continuing Education Can Engage Dental Health Professionals in Promoting HPV Vaccination
abstract
This abstract is available on the publisher's site.
Access this abstract nowOBJECTIVES
With rates of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination remaining low and rates of oropharyngeal cancer rising, engaging new partners to promote vaccination is necessary. We aimed to identify dental hygienists' and dentists' knowledge about HPV, the HPV vaccine, and preferences for continuing education.
METHODS
This mixed-methods study recruited dental hygienists and dentists working in private practice in Iowa to participate in a mailed cross-sectional survey (dental hygienists) and qualitative telephone interviews (dental hygienists and dentists). Survey and interview topics included existing knowledge about HPV vaccination, HPV vaccination promotion efforts, barriers to HPV vaccine promotion, and preferences for continuing education (CE).
RESULTS
We received 470 surveys from dental hygienists (response rate = 22.6%) and interviewed 19 dental hygienists and 20 dentists. Vaccine efficacy and safety, along with communication strategies, were key topics of interest for CE. Dental hygienists' most commonly identified barriers were lack of knowledge (67%) and low comfort levels (42%).
CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge was identified as a key barrier to providing a strong recommendation for HPV vaccination and convenience was the most important factor to consider for any future CE. Our team is in the process of designing a CE course based on this information to help dental professionals effectively engage in HPV vaccine promotion in their practices.
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Additional Info
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Engaging new partners in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine promotion: Considerations for training private practice dental professionals in HPV vaccine promotion
J Public Health Dent 2023 Mar 09;[EPub Ahead of Print], N Askelson, G Ryan, S McKernan, A Scherer, E Daly, L AvdicFrom MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Cases of oropharyngeal cancers associated with or caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) continue to rise. The number of cases associated with HPV is around 19,000 annually, whereas those likely caused by HPV are nearing 14,000 annually. The HPV vaccine has been found to be effective in preventing HPV infections as well as HPV-associated cancers, including oropharyngeal cancers associated with HPV. Despite rigorous national campaigns to promote and increase HPV vaccination, just over half of adolescents aged 13 to 17 years are vaccinated against HPV. In light of these statistics, oral health providers have emerged as a promising link to increase HPV vaccination and combat the rising number of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers.
This study sought to understand oral health providers’ perceived barriers to educating patients about the HPV vaccine and its connection to oropharyngeal cancer. The majority of dental hygienists in this study reported a lack of knowledge about the vaccine, feeling uncomfortable discussing it with patients’ parents, and feeling that it was not in their scope of practice as the main barrier to HPV education in their practice. The majority of dentists in this study also felt they did not know enough about the vaccine to educate patients or their parents. The study found that providing and promoting continuing education courses to specifically address these barriers may be a successful approach to enlisting oral health professionals as key stakeholders in promoting HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer and patient education regarding the HPV vaccine in their practices.