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Why don't general dental practitioners test for diabetes in periodontitis patients? How infrastructure, role identity and self-efficacy can prevent effective shared care

British Dental Journal volume 232, pages 798–803 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

Aim To explore the attitudes of general dental practitioners (GDPs) towards testing for diabetes in periodontitis patients amid recommendations from professional organisations that dentists and oral health professionals are well-positioned to support the diagnosis of diabetes in primary dental care.

Method GDPs were selected based on purposeful sampling. The number of GDPs recruited was dependent on thematic saturation. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with all recruited GDPs. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was utilised to generate initial codes and subsequent themes.

Results Fifteen GDPs participated in this qualitative study. Three main interrelated themes emerged: 1) there is an inadequate infrastructure within the current NHS; 2) the difference in the definition and threshold of the social and professional roles and identities of GDPs; and 3) there is a low self-efficacy to testing due to a perceived lack of knowledge.

Conclusions This qualitative study has identified the barriers to and enablers for testing for diabetes in patients with periodontitis attending general dental practices in England. The findings have the potential to influence interventions and policies going forward to improve the co-management of diabetes and periodontitis within primary healthcare.

Key points

  • NHS-practising GDPs perceived the current infrastructure of the health service to be their biggest barrier to implementation of such testing.

  • All GDPs, whether NHS or private, had varied perspectives on their social and professional role and identity in relation to such testing.

  • Self-efficacy in the realm of testing was generally low due to a lack of perceived knowledge, training and competence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Periodontology Unit, Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Dental Institute, King´s College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK

    Varkha Rattu

  2. Senior Clinical Lecturer, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Turner Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 2AD, UK

    Dominic Hurst

Authors
  1. Varkha Rattu
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  2. Dominic Hurst
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Contributions

Varkha Rattu designed the study, collected the data, analysed the data, wrote the first draft of the manuscript and edited subsequent draft manuscripts until the final version was agreed. Dominic Hurst advised on the design of the study, contributed to data analysis, edited the manuscript and agreed its final version.

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Correspondence to Varkha Rattu.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Rattu, V., Hurst, D. Why don't general dental practitioners test for diabetes in periodontitis patients? How infrastructure, role identity and self-efficacy can prevent effective shared care. Br Dent J 232, 798–803 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-022-4294-7

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