Oral Health in Prison: a Study on Improving Prisoners' Oral Health

This study investigates the effects of an intervention based on Motivational Interviewing (MI) on oral hygiene, oral cleaning routines, and attitudes toward own oral health of prisoners in Norway. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, person-centered form of guiding to elicit and strengthen motivation for change. All prisoners in the study undergo an oral examination to establish a baseline of oral health and a comprehensive questionnaire to identify risk factors and their attitudes towards their oral health and oral treatment. Norwegian-speaking prisoners are then randomized into either a treatment or control group. In the treatment group, dental staff initiate a conversation with the prisoner based on techniques from MI. Both groups finally receive a toilet bag with basic equipment to regularly clean their teeth. After 4 weeks and 12 weeks, prisoners are invited back for another oral examination and a follow-up questionnaire, to measure changes in oral hygiene, oral cleaning routines, and attitude toward their oral health. At four weeks a screening of general learning difficulties using the validated screening tool HASI will be conducted. If the intervention proves to be an effective tool in improving oral hygiene, oral cleaning routines, and/or attitude towards own oral health, it can serve as an alternative proactive approach to improve the oral health of a vulnerable group in society. If the improvements in oral hygiene and oral cleaning routines are long-lasting, this may in turn lead to a reduced need for oral treatment. An improved attitude towards own oral health may, together with other rehabilitation programs in prison, improve the prisoner's self-esteem and chances to successfully returning to society after having served their prison sentence.

Inclusion criteria:Everyone serving time in one of the four prisons during the period of the study (November 2021 to June 2023)Sufficient Norwegian languageExclusion criteria:- Insufficient Norwegian language