379 - Oral Health Knowledge Gaps Among Hennepin Healthcare Pediatric Medicine Providers

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate knowledge gaps related to oral health care topics among Hennepin Healthcare pediatric medicine providers, as well as assess their comfort in diagnosing oral diseases including dental caries.

Methods: Focus groups were conducted at three Hennepin Healthcare clinic locations with pediatric medicine providers. Standardized, open-ended questions were asked by the resident facilitator about topics regarding provider knowledge and confidence about oral health topics as well as their perceived prevalence of dental caries among their patient population. Questions also assessed what oral health prevention education was practiced during well child visits. Comments were aggregated across each clinic location and compared to results of similar studies. 

Results: Hennepin Healthcare medicine providers were generally knowledgeable of the recommendations in the AAP Clinical Report “Maintaining and Improving the Oral Health of Young Children” with few knowledge gaps. However, their comfort in diagnosing and managing common oral health problems, such as dental caries, is limited.

Conclusion: Despite familiarity with the recommendations in the AAP Clinical Report “Maintaining and Improving the Oral Health of Young Children”, pediatric medicine providers at Hennepin Healthcare report limited comfort in diagnosing and managing common oral health problems, such as dental caries. 

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