Delivery of dietary messages for type 2 diabetic patients by dental practitioners: A scoping review protocol.

Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to identify and understand the available evidence on the delivery of dietary messages to patients with type 2 diabetes in a dental setting. The outcome of a scoping review in this area will inform the development of a clinical intervention for dietary counseling at the chairside.

Introduction: Diabetics are at a higher risk for developing periodontal disease, and the severity of periodontal disease can impact the ability to control glucose levels. Considering the prevalence of diabetes within the community, dental practitioners are well placed to provide dietary messages to support this cohort during the management of periodontal disease.

Inclusion Criteria: Studies that consider the population affected by type 2 diabetes and a dietary intervention in the context of a dental setting will be included.

Methods: The databases selected for sources of studies are MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and SCOPUS. The scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. Only English language studies are eligible for inclusion in this review. Terms relating to dietary advice, diabetes, dental practitioner and health education will be used to search for related studies. Screening based on abstract, and titles will be followed by full text screening with results supplied in PRISMA-SCR diagram. A data extraction tool will be used to chart the details of selected studies then presented in a venn diagram and word map along with a narrative synthesis of results.