Time to get our teeth into reducing obesity: should dentists screen and deliver interventions to reduce obesity in the population?

Abstract

Little attention has been devoted to how dentists and dental teams may be able to contribute to reducing obesity, by screening for obesity in the population and offering weight management interventions to those who might benefit. Drawing on the NHS Making Every Contact Count campaign, this paper presents a case as to why dentists have an instrumental role in contributing to the global public heath effort to reduce obesity in both adults and children. This paper suggests how dentists might learn lessons from GPs and practice nurses about how to best address and raise the topic of weight management within patient consultations. Lastly, this report offers some tangible plans of action for further research on this question.