The role of the dental profession in supporting families who experience food insecurity: a patient and public involvement strategy for a qualitative study.

内容摘要

Aims Links between food insecurity and poor oral health are increasingly well evidenced. However, research on addressing the associated challenges in dental settings is scarce, and little is known about the priorities of members of the public. The aim of this research was to investigate the experiences and priorities of people with lived experience of food insecurity in relation to their oral health to: a) understand whether dental professionals are addressing their needs related to food insecurity; and b) to identify priorities for future research.Methods Key stakeholders and people with lived experience of food insecurity were invited to speak with the project team via face-to-face consultations, virtual meetings, telephone calls and emails. This process established their key dental care priorities.Results Thirty-five people from community food networks and spaces identified the following priorities for dental care: 1) improving access to dental care; 2) improving the dental team's understanding of living in poverty and its impact on oral health; 3) patient education; and 4) signposting.Conclusions People with lived experience of food insecurity highlighted the importance of improving the dental profession's understanding of and response to food insecurity, providing valuable insight for future research directions.