A Guide to Applying Motivational Interviewing in Nutritional Counseling in Dental Hygiene Education

Abstract

Oral and systemic chronic health conditions are widespread in the United States, and nutrition plays a crucial role in their prevention and management. Dental hygienists, as prevention specialists, are uniquely positioned to incorporate nutritional counseling into patient care due to their education and expertise in risk assessment. Despite its importance, integrating effective nutritional counseling in clinical practice is often challenging, with barriers such as time constraints, patient compliance, and clinician confidence. This report presents a blueprint for incorporating motivational interviewing (MI) through a Nutritional Risk Assessment and Counseling Tool (NRACT) into dental hygiene education at Eastern Washington University (EWU). The five-semester dental hygiene curriculum at EWU integrates nutrition concepts early in the course of study, using MI strategies to enhance student confidence in patient counseling. Students receive foundational training in MI techniques, including open-ended questions, reflective listening, and evoking patient motivation. The NRACT supports both assessment and structured nutritional counseling, allowing students to guide patient interactions effectively. Through clinical practice, workshops, and peer feedback, students refine their MI skills and develop confidence addressing nutrition-related concerns. Initial outcomes from EWU suggest incorporating the NRACT, which includes MI, increases students’ comfort in discussing topics like nutrition while enhancing patient-centered care. This short report provides the framework to foster the development of skilled oral health care professionals equipped to promote nutritional health. Additionally, this report offers a transferable model for integrating nutritional counseling into dental hygiene education across diverse educational settings.