Piloting An Oral Health Training Program for Diabetes Educators in Australia

Aims: To develop and pilot a diabetes oral health training program to assess its effectiveness in improving oral health knowledge and confidence of diabetes educators (DEs), and the acceptability, feasibility, and sustainability of integrating the training into practice. Methods: A sequential mixed-methods design followed the development of an online three-module training program, which integrated videos, a screening tool, and resources to support oral health referrals. A pre-post knowledge and confidence questionnaire was analysed using a paired-sample t-test. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-one DEs from the states of New South Wales and Victoria participated. There was an overall significant difference in the knowledge scores pre-test (mean = 23.24, SD 4.4) compared to post-test (mean = 29.67, SD 2.01), (t=-6.11), p<0.001), and across all confidence variables on discussing, screening and referring clients to oral health services. Most participants agreed with the trainings perceived acceptability, feasibility, and sustainability, although some recommendations were made to improve long-term sustainability. Conclusions: The results showed that using online training modules and tailored resources to support clinical practice effectively improved oral health knowledge and confidence in DEs and was acceptable, feasible, and sustainable for integration into clinical practice.