Evidence mapPaperPMID 42400239Full record

ArticleHealth expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy2026

Exploring the Acceptability of Integrating Dietitians Into Primary Care Dental Services for Children.

Lauren Hallewell, Raul Bescos, Zoe Brookes, Tracey Parkin, Robert Witton, Patricia Casas-Agustench

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Defining Consensus-Based Components for Integrating Dietitians Into Primary Dental Care for Paediatric Populations: A Delphi Study.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Lauren HallewellSchool of Health Professions, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.ORCID 0009-0004-6039-1274
Raul BescosSchool of Health Professions, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-3939-4743
Zoe BrookesPeninsula Dental School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-8096-6256
Tracey ParkinSchool of Health Professions, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-7081-2253
Robert WittonPeninsula Dental School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-6424-4376
Patricia Casas-AgustenchSchool of Health Professions, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4424-1087

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDental caries is a common childhood non-communicable disease strongly associated with high sugar intake. Beyond oral health, a poor diet can affect children's growth, development, and overall well-being. While dietary advice is central to preventive dental care, some primary care dental clinics have introduced body mass index (BMI) assessments and further dietary advice to address wider nutritional concerns in children. However, these efforts are often constrained by limited nutrition training, time constraints and concerns about sensitivity. Integrating dietitians into primary dental care may help overcome these barriers by enhancing dietary guidance, supporting broader nutritional needs and facilitating structured BMI assessments with appropriate follow-up.

aimTo explore the acceptability of integrating dietitians into primary dental care for children, guided by the theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA).

methodsDental professionals and caregivers were recruited from South West England, and dietitians from across the United Kingdom (April-December 2024). Semi-structured interviews were analysed inductively using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings were interpreted through the TFA to examine how emotional, ethical and structural factors shaped perceptions of acceptability.

resultsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants: 10 dental professionals, 6 dietitians and 7 caregivers. Four inductive themes captured participants reasoning: (1) Balancing enthusiasm and sensitivity; (2) Negotiating the realities of integration; (3) Clarifying boundaries and expertise and (4) Building collective confidence. These themes aligned closely with the TFA, showing how emotional, ethical and structural factors interacted. Acceptability emerged as a dynamic balance of emotional and ethical alignment, practical feasibility, conceptual clarity and shared confidence. Perceived effectiveness was a unifying thread, with integration seen as acceptable when safeguards ensured emotional safety, ethical grounding and organisational support.

conclusionIntegrating dietitians was viewed as widely acceptable when collaboratively, sensitively and structurally delivered and supported.

Indexed as

Dental Care for ChildrenNutritionistsPrimary Health CareAdultAttitude of Health PersonnelCaregiversChildDentistsEnglandFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleUnited Kingdomchildrendentistrydietitianinterprofessionalnutrition

Identifiers

PMID42400239
PMCPMC13332333

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.