@article {Hoerler16, author = {Sarah B. Hoerler and Sarah Jenkins and Daniel Assad}, title = {Evaluating Oral Health in Pregnant Women: Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health professionals}, volume = {93}, number = {1}, pages = {16--22}, year = {2019}, publisher = {American Dental Hygienists{\textquoteright} Association}, abstract = {Purpose: Complex physiological changes occur during pregnancy thus increasing the risk of periodontitis and potentially adverse pregnancy outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess prenatal health care professionals{\textquoteright} levels of knowledge regarding oral health and its effect on pregnancy outcomes, examine their current practices in evaluating oral health, and determine their attitudes towards a multidisciplinary approach to providing comprehensive prenatal care.Methods: Data was collected from a web-based survey administered to a convenience sample of prenatal health professionals in a healthcare organization located in the Midwestern United States. Responses were summarized with descriptive statistics. A knowledge score was utilized to compare midwives and nurse practitioners to physicians and residents.Results: Seventy-six prenatal health care professionals (n=76) agreed to participate for a response rate of 37\%, with the majority (80\%) of respondents considering oral health to be an important component of prenatal care. In regards to the inclusion of oral health in current practice, only 6\% of the respondents {\textquotedblleft}always{\textquotedblright} include an oral health history interview and only 7\% {\textquotedblleft}always{\textquotedblright} include a dental screening as part of prenatal care. A moderate correlation was found between the knowledge score and the frequency of including oral health history interviews during prenatal visits (correlation = 0.36, p=0.002).Conclusion: The majority of prenatal health care professionals surveyed were knowledgeable about oral health as it relates to prenatal care; however, a deficit was identified in current practice in regards to oral health history interviewing and conducting dental screenings. There is a need to implement best practice guidelines that include routine dental screenings and to engage pregnant women in oral health prevention practices. Optimal oral health requires a multidisciplinary approach in which dental hygienists can play a significant role by educating women{\textquoteright}s healthcare providers and raising awareness of the connection between oral health and pregnancy outcomes.}, issn = {1553-0205}, URL = {https://jdh.adha.org/content/93/1/16}, eprint = {https://jdh.adha.org/content/93/1/16.full.pdf}, journal = {American Dental Hygienists{\textquoteright} Association} }