Assessing Predoctoral Dental Student Interest in Nutrition Education: A Study Across Two Dental Schools

The mouth is a mirror of overall health. Dentists have a vital role in the diagnosis of oral diseases, prevention, for health promotion. The purposes of our exploratory study were to investigate dental students’ attitudes and perceptions regarding nutrition education and to propose a curriculum checklist for integrating nutrition content into dental curricula. An optional exploratory survey was distributed at two North American urban dental schools to 351 students, to compare student perspectives regarding implementation of nutrition education. The results were analyzed as a step to improve nutrition education in dental curricula. A validated stepwise checklist was developed to guide integration of nutrition education into dental schools. A total of 313 student responses were obtained (response rate: 89%). Among other findings 70% of students reported having no formal nutrition education before dental school, approximately 87% of respondents strongly agreed that nutrition knowledge is essential for overall health, and 57% strongly agreed that a dentist working together with a nutritionist or dietitian could benefit patient outcomes. Qualitative data indicated dental student interest in nutrition. These findings demonstrate learner interest in expanding more nutrition education within dental curricula. As a result, we developed a suggested checklist for curriculum development to support in integration of nutrition education in dental programs.