A Qualitative Analysis of First-Year Dental Students’ Opinions on Diabetes Screening in the Dental Setting

Background: As the global incidence of diabetes continues to rise, expanding the scope of practice for primary healthcare professionals is essential in addressing the type 2 diabetes (T2D) epidemic. Oral health is bidirectionally linked to systemic health, and dentists are in a unique position to engage in preventative activities, such as disease screening. The aim of this study was to investigate first-year dental students’ perceptions of screening for diabetes, and to explore their intentions to implement screening on graduation. Methods: First-year dental students (n = 98) were asked to write an essay about their views and attitudes to diabetes screening in the dental setting. Consent was provided by 51 students for their essays to be thematically analysed. Results: The study found that students’ intentions to perform screening after graduation are shaped by their diabetes knowledge, views on screening protocols, awareness of professional roles, and experience with interprofessional collaboration. Conclusions: The dental setting is an ideal location for increasing opportunistic diabetes screening in primary care. Most first-year dental students viewed diabetes screening favourably and intended to implement after graduation. However, the study indicates changes in dental education and practice are required to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed for diabetes screening. The dental students that participated in this study represent the future dental professionals whose knowledge and attitudes to diabetes and disease screening will determine the future uptake of this initiative.