An Evaluation of Obesity Stigma in the Dental Setting

Zanab Malik, An Evaluation of Obesity Stigma in the Dental Setting

Winner - The University of Newcastle VYT local competition (2024)

Transcript: Think back to your last trip to the dentist, you likely didn’t think twice about it being possible to have your teeth checked. But for the patient with severe obesity, the following interaction can happen: “We don’t have a chair that can accommodate someone of your weight. You will need to go somewhere else. Maybe you should try losing some weight first?” This is exactly the type of stigmatising conversation we want to prevent in the dental setting.

Studies have shown that weight stigma can lead to avoidance of healthcare services including dental services but general dentists don’t have access to bariatric dental chairs which makes these conversations very difficult and open to stigmatisation. That’s why we wanted dental students, who are still developing their attitudes, to evaluate how an intervention designed to reduce weight stigma can be used in the dental setting and look at how we can reduce barriers to managing this group.

Reducing weight stigma among dental professionals is beneficial for all of us, because it improves communication approaches and importantly will help ensure that people with severe obesity get dental care like everyone else.