Study Explores Patient Acceptance of Vaccines in the Dental Office
A newly validated survey reveals mixed patient attitudes toward dentists and dental hygienists administering vaccines while highlighting the profession’s growing role in disease prevention and public health.
As healthcare continues to embrace interdisciplinary approaches, oral health professionals are increasingly recognized for their potential role in vaccine education and administration. While vaccines have traditionally been delivered in primary care offices and pharmacies, several states now authorize dentists and dental hygienists to administer certain vaccines, and many expanded this authority during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new study published in Frontiers in Oral Health introduces a validated survey designed to better understand patient perceptions of receiving vaccinations in the dental setting. Researchers refined a previously tested questionnaire by combining statistical analyses with feedback from focus groups, resulting in a shorter, more effective tool for evaluating patient attitudes.
The findings showed that participants expressed mixed opinions about dental providers administering vaccines. Acceptance varied by vaccine type, with respondents appearing more comfortable with oral health professionals providing COVID-19 vaccines than the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Researchers suggest this difference may reflect limited public knowledge about HPV vaccination and its connection to oral health.
These findings underscore an opportunity to strengthen preventive care through patient education. Oral health professionals see patients regularly and often develop long-term, trusting relationships, positioning them to discuss the importance of vaccination, answer questions, and address vaccine hesitancy. Click here to read more.
