The role of dentists in promoting human papillomavirus vaccination for oropharyngeal cancer prevention: A cross-sectional survey of dentists in North Carolina.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cancers of the oropharynx, and HPV vaccination prevents these cancers. Given the prominent role of HPV vaccines in promoting oral health, this study aimed to understand the knowledge, perceptions, and perceived barriers associated with HPV and HPV vaccination among dentists in North Carolina, a state that does not currently permit vaccine administration by dentists.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was electronically distributed to North Carolina dentists. Eligibility criteria included reporting an active dental license and practicing dentistry. Descriptive statistics and linear regression models were used to evaluate associations.

Results: Of the respondents (N = 174), most identified as female (56.3%), reported their area of dentistry as general or restorative (74.1%), and worked in a private practice setting (80.5%). More than 85% of respondents recognized diseases associated with HPV, such as warts and oropharyngeal cancers; however, only a minority routinely addressed virus-related risk (10.91% often; 3.03% almost always) or HPV vaccination (7.27% often; 1.82% almost always) when discussing preventive strategies against head and neck cancers. Many dentists perceived their role in HPV prevention as important but were reluctant to discuss HPV vaccination status with a patient. The most cited barriers to promoting or administering HPV vaccines in a dental setting were lack of education, training, or information (76.44%), liability reasons (60.34%), and procedure reimbursement (60.34%).

Conclusions: Dentists recognize the importance of identifying and preventing HPV-related oral sequelae, but many are hesitant to discuss or to promote in-office HPV vaccine administration because of multiple perceived barriers.

Practical implications: Continued educational endeavors may mitigate liability concerns and promote efforts to guide dentists to become HPV vaccinators.