HPV Vaccination Uptake Initiative Piloted in Dental Clinics

Dental professionals have an opportunity to contribute to cancer prevention by identifying patients eligible for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine during routine dental visits. A recent study conducted in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, explored the feasibility of implementing a case-finding strategy and dialogue tool to facilitate discussions about HPV vaccination within dental practices.

There is a concerning upward trend of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer, which the authors highlight as a motivation for their research. As one of the authors, Cheryl E. Cable, states, “There is a concerning upward trend of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer in our society.”

The Study

The study involved a prospective, non-randomized feasibility case-finding approach. Over a 4-week enrollment period, consecutive scheduled patients aged 9-45 years (or immunocompromised individuals) were screened for HPV vaccination eligibility at two general dental offices in Edmonton. Dental clinicians used a Dental Dialogue Tool to discuss HPV vaccination and answer questions with eligible patients who consented to the discussion. Patients who agreed to receive the vaccine were given a prescription and directed to follow up with a local pharmacy.

The Findings

The case-finding strategy assessed 656 scheduled patients, identifying 179 (20.4%) as candidates for HPV vaccine discussion. Of these, 43 (24%) were already vaccinated, and 134 (74.8%) consented to the discussion. Forty-eight patients (35.8%) accepted a prescription from the dentist after the discussion.

However, only 8 of the 48 patients (16%) who received a prescription had received their first dose of the HPV vaccine by the 6-week follow-up call. This translates to a modest 4.5% of those who initially consented to the discussion.

The study demonstrated the feasibility of case-finding for HPV vaccine candidates in general dental offices, with a reasonable yield. While the dental dialogue tool was described as a valuable resource, the authors acknowledge that further work is necessary to enhance the intervention’s effectiveness, potentially including follow-up discussions with dental clinicians.

As Kaitlyn E. Watson, one of the authors, notes, “Dental professionals already screen for oral cancers and have a unique opportunity to help prevent oropharyngeal cancers by proactively discussing with their patients about cancer risk and by recommending HPV vaccination.”