Promoting oral health in nursing education through interprofessional collaborative practice: A quasi-experimental survey study design

Background: Optimal oral health education is limited in nursing curricula and may therefore, not translate as a priority for nurses in clinical practice. Objectives: To evaluate the influence of an educational intervention on knowledge, confidence, practice behaviors, and perceived barriers of nursing students regarding preventive oral health services. Design: Quasi-experimental pre-post survey study design. Participants: Sixty-four first-year Accelerated Bachelor of Nursing (ASBN) students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Methods: Students were asked to complete oral-health-related questionnaires following didactic and clinical simulation on principles of oral health, oral screening, counseling, and referral to a dentist. A post-survey following clinical rotations was completed testing long-term effectiveness. Results: Fifty-five (86%) ABSN students completed the pre-survey, 49 (77%) completed the post-survey; 44 (69%) completed both. Participants' showed a significant increase in knowledge from pre-post questionnaires for two of five questions (p = 0.04; p < 0.0001). Confidence scores in performing oral screenings (p < 0.0001) and counseling (p = 0.006) increased; while scores regarding referrals decreased (p = 0.718). Post intervention, 37% reported performing oral screenings, 45% counseling, and 8% dental referrals. Respondents reported a significant increase in willingness to implement oral health services during clinical visits (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Mixed educational methods can successfully influence oral health knowledge and confidence among ABSN students and their willingness to perform in clinical practice.