Feasibility of training community health workers to conduct periodontal examinations: a validation study in rural Nepal

Abstract

Abstract Background In many low- and middle-income countries, insufficient human resources limit access to oral health services. Shifting clinical tasks to less specialized health professionals, such as community health workers, has been used as a strategy to expand the health workforce, especially in remote or underserved locations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the validity of periodontal examinations conducted by auxiliary nurse midwives in a rural home setting in Nepal. Methods Twenty-one pregnant women 2 mm), and lower agreement for posterior teeth and lingual and proximal sites. Conclusion Auxiliary nurse midwives were able to accurately conduct periodontal examinations in a rural home setting, suggesting the potential to shift tasks away from highly trained dentists and periodontal examiners in low-resource communities. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01177111 (Nepal Oil Massage Study); registered on August 6th, 2010.

Keywords

• Nepal
• Oral health
• Validity
• Validation
• Community-based