Evidence mapPaperPMID 42438331Full record

ArticleJournal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association2026

Defining Consensus-Based Components for Integrating Dietitians Into Primary Dental Care for Paediatric Populations: A Delphi Study.

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

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

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

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDiet is a modifiable risk factor linking oral and systemic health, contributing to dental caries and weight-related outcomes (including underweight, overweight and obesity) in the paediatric population. However, dietary advice provided by dental professionals in primary dental care is often brief and sugar-focused, representing a missed opportunity to address shared risk factors. Integrating dietitians into primary dental care may support more holistic paediatric preventative care.

objectiveTo develop expert consensus on the components required to integrate dietitians into primary dental care to address diet as a common risk factor in paediatric oral health and weight-related outcomes.

methodsA three-round online Delphi study was conducted with dietitians and dental professionals, followed by patient and public involvement (PPI) consultation with caregivers and children and young people. Round 1 open-text responses were thematically analysed and synthesised into 158 statements. In Rounds 2 and 3, experts rated statements using a 7-point Likert scale. Consensus agreement was defined a priori as ≥ 70% agreement (ratings of 6 or 7) and < 15% disagreement (ratings of 1 or 2) across the panel and within both professional groups. Results were summarised using descriptive statistics.

resultsThirty-six, twenty-eight, and twenty-five experts completed Delphi Rounds 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Round 1 generated 158 statements, of which 90 achieved full consensus agreement by Round 3. Full consensus agreement was reached on safeguards for discussing weight-related outcomes sensitively, referral criteria for oral-health dietary support, training and skill development, organisational structures for collaboration, communication pathways and role clarification. No single approach to identifying weight-related outcomes met the predefined agreement threshold and remained exploratory.

conclusionThis study identified consensus-based components for integrating dietitians into primary dental care, providing a practical foundation to inform the design and piloting of integrated dietetic-dental care models with potential to improve oral health and broader child health outcomes.

Indexed as

Dental Care for ChildrenNutritionistsPrimary Health CareAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolConsensusDelphi TechniqueDental CariesFemaleHumansMaleOral HealthconsensusDelphidieteticsintegrationprimary care dentistry

Identifiers

PMID42438331
PMCPMC13358320

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.