Abstract
Purpose: There has been an increase in awareness of the link between oral health and systemic health in recent years. While questions exist about the relationship of oral disease to cardiovascular conditions, no published study to date has addressed cardiologists' knowledge and opinions about this area of science. This study examined North Carolina cardiologists' knowledge, opinions and practice behaviors regarding periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease.
Methods: A survey was developed, revised, pilot tested and mailed to 625 licensed, practicing cardiologists' in North Carolina. A total of 3 mailings were conducted. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: The response rate was 19% (n=119). Respondents were mostly males (86%) and working in private group practice (48%) or academia (32%). Sixty three percent correctly identified the first sign of periodontal disease; however, only 18% choose the correct etiology of periodontal disease. Sixty percent of respondents stated that medical students and dental students should be trained to work collaboratively. Half of cardiologists' surveyed were unsure that treatment of periodontal disease can decrease a patient's risk for cardiovascular disease. The majority were interested in learning more about the relationship between cardiovascular disease and periodontitis.
Conclusion: The majority of cardiologists surveyed were unclear about the etiology of periodontal disease and would like to have more information about the potential oral-systemic link regarding cardiovascular disease. It is important for educators and administrators in higher education to examine the need for interprofessional education and collaboration between medicine and dentistry. This study may provide valuable information about ways to implement more effective interprofessional education and collaboration between dental and dental hygiene professionals and cardiologists to improve oral health.
Footnotes
Megan Mosley, BSDH, MS, graduated in 2013 from the University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill with a Masters in Dental Hygiene Education, and currently works in private practice in Raleigh, NC. Steven Offenbacher, DDS, MS, PhD, is a member of the department of periodontology at UNC School of Dentistry, and is the director of the Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases. Ceib Phillips, MPH, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Orthodontics at the University Of North Carolina School Of Dentistry. Christopher Granger, MD, is a cardiologist at Duke University. Rebecca Wilder, BSDH, MS, is a Professor and Director of Faculty Development for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, and also serves as Director of the Master of Science Degree Program in Dental Hygiene Education.
This study supports the NDHRA priority area, Health Promotion/Disease Prevention: Assess strategies for effective communication between the dental hygienist and client.
The Journal of Dental Hygiene Best Paper Award was created to recognize the most outstanding research paper published from the previous year (2014). All original research papers published in 2014 were evaluated by a panel of judges, using specific criteria, to make the final selection. This manuscript first appeared in Volume 88, Issue Number 5 of the October 2014 issue of the Journal of Dental Hygiene.
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