Dental Hygiene Students’ Confidence in Managing Patients with Eating Disorders

Objectives To determine perceptions of final year undergraduate dental hygiene students at a teaching hospital regarding their training and management of patients who have eating disorders. Methods Following ethical approval, an anonymous online questionnaire was distributed to Final Year Dental Hygiene (FYDH) students (n=14) approaching the end of their studies. Results A response rate of 86% for FYDH (n=12) was achieved. The perceived confidence of students in managing ED patients varied widely. A number of respondents (34%) perceived inadequate training in relation to dental management of ED patients. Dental Hygiene students perceived a requirement for further training in relation to the medical management (75%), personality traits (67%) and psychological needs (75%) of those suffering from Eating Disorders. One FYDH reported personal management of an ED patient during their training. 83% of respondents felt further training was necessary to be able to suspect an ED. 75% of respondents were unaware of local support services available to ED patients, with 83% of respondents also unaware of the Eating Disorder Centre Cork (EDCC). Conclusions There is need for improvement within the current dental hygiene curriculum to improve education on eating disorder patients, specifically, their management by dental hygienists and their interaction with supporting services.