Development and preliminary evaluation of an oral health training program for diabetes educators: a quasi-experimental study

Background Although diabetes and oral health share a bidirectional relationship, there is little emphasis on oral health promotion by diabetes care providers despite global guidelines and recommendations. In Australia, diabetes educators are well-placed to promote oral health among their clients; however, comprehensive training programs tailored for diabetes educators are lacking. Aims To develop and evaluate a diabetes oral health training program to assess the potential impact in improving oral health knowledge and confidence of diabetes educators, and the acceptability, feasibility, and sustainability of integrating the training into practice. Methods Guided by the Medical Research Council framework for complex interventions, a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The development led to a 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. To assess acceptability, feasibility and sustainability, qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using directed content analysis. Results Thirty diabetes educators from the states of New South Wales and Victoria were recruited. 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) ( n = 21), and across all confidence variables on discussing, screening and referring clients to oral health services ( p < 0.001). Most participants agreed with the trainings perceived acceptability, feasibility, and sustainability, although some recommendations were made to improve long-term sustainability. Conclusions Using online training modules and tailored resources to support clinical practice has shown preliminary improvements in oral health knowledge and confidence among diabetes educators, and was acceptable, feasible, and sustainable for integration into clinical practice.