Patient receptivity to receiving vaccinations in the dental clinic at a rural federally qualified health center.

Background: More than 28 million people in the United States visited their dentists but not a physician in 2018, yet only a few states allow dentists to administer vaccines to patients, and those vaccines are limited to influenza, COVID-19, and human papillomavirus.

Methods: To assess the receptiveness of adult dental patients and caregivers of pediatric dental patients to receive necessary vaccines during their dental appointment, a survey was distributed to patients attending a dental visit at a rural federally qualified health center from June 28, 2021, through December 31, 2021.

Results: Among the responses from 643 adult patients and 625 pediatric caregivers, approximately one-half (54.