Key result
Chilean dental professionals measure blood pressure in every patient ~174% more frequently than Spanish peers.
Why the study?
Undiagnosed or uncontrolled arterial hypertension is frequent among adults attending dental clinics, making dental visits a practical opportunity for blood pressure screening and referral.
What are the knowledge, attitudes, and clinical behaviors regarding arterial hypertension management among dental professionals in Spain and Chile?
Cross-Sectional (n=597)
Yes
What are the knowledge, attitudes, and clinical behaviors regarding arterial hypertension management among dental professionals in Spain and Chile?
While dental professionals recognize the importance of hypertension screening, routine blood pressure measurement is not consistently integrated into practice, highlighting a missed opportunity for opportunistic screening.
High endorsement of BP measurement among dental respondents; leaves open whether training differences drive cross-national practice variation.
Introduction Undiagnosed or uncontrolled arterial hypertension is frequent among adults who attend dental clinics. Since some of these patients have limited contact with primary care, the dental visit can offer a practical opportunity for blood pressure (BP) screening and referral when needed. Materials and Methods A binational online cross‐sectional survey was conducted using Google Forms among dental professionals, academic staff, and students in Spain (2024–2025) and Chile (2025). The questionnaire addressed hypertension‐related knowledge, attitudes, and self‐reported clinical behaviour. Country‐level comparisons were analysed using chi‐square or Fisher exact tests, and subgroup analyses were based on the professional and educational categories recorded in each national dataset. Results A total of 597 participants completed the survey (Spain, n = 389; Chile, n = 208). Compared with Spanish respondents, Chilean respondents more often considered BP measurement important (91.8% vs. 84.1%; p = 0.008), reported having a sphygmomanometer available (82.2% vs. 60.9%; p < 0.001), and measured BP in every patient (17.0% vs. 6.2%; p < 0.001). Never measuring BP before treatment was reported by 24.7% of Spanish respondents and 12.1% of Chilean respondents ( p < 0.001). In Spain, professional/educational status was associated with several outcomes (all p ≤ 0.017); in Chile, BP measurement frequency differed significantly by professional role ( p < 0.001). Conclusion Both cohorts recognised the relevance of hypertension in dental care, but routine BP measurement was not consistently integrated into practice. The findings support the need for clearer undergraduate training, standardised chairside protocols, and workable referral pathways.
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Olmo-González et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Arterial hypertension management in dental practice (n=597). Dental practice in Chile vs. Dental practice in Spain was evaluated on Measuring blood pressure in every patient (p=<0.001). Chilean dental professionals more frequently measured blood pressure in every patient compared to Spanish respondents (17.0% vs. 6.2%; p<0.001).
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