- Title
- Creating preventive practitioners: an investigation into teaching diet and nutrition education in Australian Bachelor of Oral Health programmes
- Creator
- Franks, Kay; Baines, Surinder; Taylor, Jane A.; Wallace, Janet P.
- Relation
- Annual Clinical Journal of Dental Health Vol. 10, Issue 2, p. 16-21
- Publisher
- British Society of Dental Hygiene & Therapy
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2021
- Description
- Introduction: Providing dietary advice to dental patients is an integral part of preventive practice. However, despite knowing how important it is, for some clinicians its application in practice is often inconsistent. Oral health therapists (OHT) are trained to integrate healthy eating messages for positive oral health outcomes in their patients. Aim: To examine the content and delivery of current undergraduate diet and nutrition education in the Bachelor of Oral Health programmes in Australia (BOH). Method: Using purposive sampling, seven Australian universities teaching oral health therapy were invited to participate in an electronic survey. As part of a thematic analysis in a descriptive study design, transcripts were coded across the data set to emphasise sub-themes under each of the three broader themed headings, reflecting commonalities and differences in teaching diet and nutrition. Results: Six universities provided a final response with most programmes indicating that they devoted 10-15 hours to teaching diet and nutrition, integrated within other courses throughout the three years of the degree. At most universities teaching was undertaken by the BOH staff with no qualification in diet or nutrition: no university reported a dietitian member of staff. Conclusion: This study has highlighted that BOH curricula across Australia are proactive in embedding diet and nutrition into their programmes. Greater interprofessional collaboration with dietitians may help strengthen contemporary curricula. Further research could identify opportunities for universities to assist students to embed healthy eating conversations at the chairside, beyond their undergraduate degree.
- Subject
- oral health; diet; teaching; education; patient education
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1443026
- Identifier
- uon:41864
- Identifier
- ISSN:2049-0682
- Language
- eng
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