Identifying the Utility of Dental Providers in Human Papillomavirus Prevention Efforts: Results From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2018.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to (1) examine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in adolescents and young adults in the U.S., including those who had a dental visit in the last year but not a medical visit and (2) to determine an association between last visit to the dentist and HPV vaccination status.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2015 to 2018, including participants 9-26 years. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to characterize the study population and calculate the prevalence of HPV vaccination in adolescents and young adults, including those who had a dental visit in the last year but not a medical visit. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between last visit to the dentist and HPV vaccination status.

RESULTS

In total, 38.6% of participants were vaccinated for HPV, with higher prevalence of vaccination in those with the following characteristics: female, older age, higher income, higher education level, and having medical insurance. Participants who had a dental visit in the last year had an HPV vaccination rate of 40.8%. Of those who had a dental visit and were not vaccinated for HPV, 12.5% did not have a medical visit. Having a dental visit in the last year increased the odds of being vaccinated for HPV (odds ratio 1.69, confidence interval 1.26-2.28).

CONCLUSIONS

Dentists see a significant number of adolescents and young adults who are unvaccinated for HPV in a given year and could serve as an access point for HPV vaccine delivery in the future.