Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40425549›Full record

ArticleBDJ open2025

Key determinants of health and wellbeing of dental nurses: a rapid review of over two decades of research.

Nana Adwoa Opoku-Ansah, Jennifer E Gallagher, Victoria Niven

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BDJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Nana Adwoa Opoku-AnsahDental Public Health, Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK. nana_adwoa.opoku-ansah@kcl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-3978-8927
Jennifer E GallagherDental Public Health, Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5068-8008
Victoria NivenDental Public Health, Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK. victoria.niven@kcl.ac.uk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo review the literature on the key determinants of health and well-being amongst dental nurses.

methodA rapid review of the literature using Khangura's approach across seven health and social science databases was conducted (2002 to 2023), through OVID and the Cochrane Library, professional and health system databases-informed by past research exploring the health and well-being of dental professionals. A two-stage review process was implemented where records were screened by the primary researcher, with a second researcher independently reviewing 10% of the papers according to agreed inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data extraction and qualitative synthesis of the included studies were conducted, and quality was assessed using a Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

resultsOut of 4,450 identified papers, 44 underwent full-text screening and 37 studies were included for analysis. Four studies were of high quality, 13 moderate-high, 14 moderate-low and six low-quality. The overall health and well-being of dental nurses was variable and the determinants influencing well-being were grouped into micro-, meso- and macro-level factors with evidence across the three domains with the most frequently identified determinant being workplace characteristics. Dental nurses with extended duties had higher job satisfaction. There was evidence that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were increased levels of anxiety, stress, burnout and isolation among dental nurses.

conclusionThe body of research suggests that dental nurses' health and well-being determinants are comparable to those of other dental professionals. Dental nurses in different countries had similar determinants. It is important to recognise and improve the determinants of dental nurses' health and well-being to support retention within the profession. Organisational and policy changes may help improve the well-being of dental nurses. Further investigation into dental nurses' health and well-being over time is needed.

Identifiers

PMID40425549
PMCPMC12117156

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.