Diabetes and oral health (DiabOH) : validating a periodontal risk assessment tool for non-dental practitioners

Context: Poorly controlled type 1 and type 2 diabetes are predictors of periodontal disease. Patients with diabetes have a 3–4-fold increased prevalence of severe periodontitis resulting in premature loss of teeth, poor nutrition, poor long-term diabetes control, more cardiovascular complications and other mortality risks. Yet, non-dental practitioners lack decision-making support in determining patients’ risk to periodontal disease. The DiabOH project has developed a non-invasive periodontal risk assessment tool (PRISK) for non-dental practitioners. Objective: To assess the validity and reliability of PRISK. Design: Quantitative validation study. Eighty-two patients with diabetes, including 49 with periodontal disease, will be recruited. PRISK comprises two parts: part A consists of demographic and risk factor questions to be completed by patient; part B consists of a ‘shine and look’ examination completed by a general medical practitioner (GP) and a practice nurse (PN) separately. Validation will be determined by comparing results from PRISK with results from a dental assessment conducted by an oral health practitioner (OHP) using the community periodontal index. Reliability will be determined by comparing interobserver error between operators. Setting: A community health centre (CHC) in Melbourne, Australia. Participants: Two GPs, 2 PNs, 1 OHP, and 82 adult patients with diabetes. Findings: Recruitment and data collection are underway. Results will be available for presentation by July 2019. Implication(s) for practice: This study will result in the first validated periodontal screening tool for non-dental practitioners. This will enable detection of periodontal risks in patients with diabetes, potentially leading to early intervention and improved health outcomes.