Evaluating dietary intake in dental practices: doing it right.

BACKGROUND

In three separate scenarios, the authors illustrate dietary assessment evaluations completed in dental settings by oral health care professionals (OHCPs) using time-efficient guidelines and targeted realistic patient education messages.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' responses to key questions can provide OHCPs with a road map for conducting dietary assessments and evaluations, selecting specific assessment approaches, and developing targeted patient nutrition and oral health education messages.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

To individualize and enhance comprehensive patient care, OHCPs can conduct dietary assessments, evaluate results, refer patients when indicated, and provide patient nutrition and oral health education.