05 January 2023

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Could oral health care professionals help increase HPV vaccination rates?

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In a new study led by Eleanor Murray, an assistant professor at Boston University School of Public Health, a research team explored whether oral health care professionals could contribute to the prevention of human papillomavirus (HPV) – related oropharyngeal and other cancers by engaging patients in conversations about HPV vaccination. 

The team said evidence exists that oral health care professionals are interested in improving vaccine uptake to prevent oropharyngeal cancer.

The scoping review published Dec. 8, 2022, in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), evaluated oral health care provider knowledge of, and discussion related to, HPV prevention, transmission and associated risks, including oropharyngeal cancer. The research team outlined barriers to and facilitators of this knowledge. In addition, researchers sought to determine the potential population that could be reached by an oral health care provider, evaluating the prevalence of HPV vaccination as well as dental visits in a U.S. population.

Studies reviewed

Four databases — MEDLINE [PubMed], EMBASE, APA PsycInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature — were systematically searched for studies written in English and conducted in the U.S. The team analyzed Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2018 data to evaluate the prevalence of HPV vaccination and dental visits among patients aged 18 through 49 years.

Results

Twenty-four studies were included in this review. Knowledge regarding HPV prevalence, transmission, disease processes and risks varied. In general, discussions related to HPV in dental settings were infrequent. The research team identified guidance from professional dental organizations, education and communication skills as ways to improve knowledge and discussion. Most people who are not vaccinated have visited their oral health care providers in the past year, highlighting the potential role of oral health care providers regarding discussion of HPV and promoting awareness and acceptance of vaccination.

Conclusions and practical implications

Researchers concluded that evidence exists supporting the interest of oral health care professionals in improving vaccine uptake to prevent oropharyngeal cancer.

Sharon M. Casey, Taylor Paiva, Rebecca B. Perkins, Alessandro Villa, Eleanor J. Murray. "Could oral health care professionals help increase human papillomavirus vaccination rates by engaging patients in discussions?" JADA. December 08, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2022.09.014