Dental Hygienists' Influence on Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavioural of Patients and Effectiveness on Improving Patients' Periodontal Status-Evaluations of a Hospital Based Oral Hygiene Training Program in China.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the possibility of integrating dental hygienists (DHs) into the dental field in China, and investigate its effectiveness on improving patients' knowledge, attitudes, self-care behaviours as well as their periodontal status. METHODS: A hospital-based oral hygiene training program was developed at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital's (SRRSH) Dental Clinic with the support of two registered DHs from Loma Linda University in California. A questionnaire evaluating oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours was conducted in patients who visited SRRSH's Dental Clinic. Scores of oral health knowledge and proportions of positive oral health attitudes and favourable self-care behaviours were estimated between patients treated and not treated by DHs (DH group and NDH group). The improvements in patients' periodontal conditions following non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) administered by DHs at the Dental Clinic of SRRSH, as assessed through the measurement of periodontal pocket depths and the incidence of bleeding upon probing. RESULTS: Patients in DH group exhibited relatively better results in several aspects of oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, compared to those in NDH group. Moreover, NPST performed by DHs significantly improved the periodontal status of the patients, with a remarkably reduction in periodontal pocket depth and bleeding on probing. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating DHs into SRRSH's Dental Clinic showed effectiveness in enhancing patients' oral health knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and succeeded in improving patients' periodontal status. This program demonstrated that incorporating DHs into dental care team is not only practical but also enhances the value of the dental workforce in China.