A Clinical Competency Framework for the Basic Package of Oral Care: Perceptions of Primary Oral Health Providers in Rural Nepal.

Introduction: The basic package of Oral Care (BPOC) was developed to improve oral health care for underserved populations worldwide. However, systematic delivery of the BPOC has been difficult to achieve, and training efforts have in some cases contributed to proliferation of malpractice. Standard Competency Frameworks (CF), increasingly used in dental and medical education to improve quality assurance, have not been established to date for the BPOC. Methods: To evaluate provider perceptions of a BPOC-specific CF, in-depth interviews were conducted with 7 Primary Oral Health Providers (POHPs) and 5 Clinic Assistants working in the Jevaia Oral Health Care project (Jevaia) in Nepal. Participants were limited to providers who have used the CF. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed in Nepali, and translated into English. A qualitative thematic analysis was applied through a multi-stage review process, and emergent themes were further grouped and categorized to draw final conclusions. Results: Findings were categorized into four groups: (1) "What is the CF to Me": Respondents frequently conflated the CF with professional development training. These activities together were essentially felt to offer clear performance guidance and a pathway for learning. (2) "Relationship to the Work": Respondents reported that the CF's guidelines increased confidence, peer accountability, and job satisfaction. (3) "Practical Improvements": Providers felt the CF improved their clinical skills, communication, crowd management, and teamwork. (4) "Community Impact": Many participants felt that improved skills had led to a more efficient workflow, greater community acceptance, and increased utilization of services. Conclusions: Clinicians broadly felt that the CF improved both their professional satisfaction and the quality of patient care. CFs should be considered integral to BPOC implementation, along with opportunities for continuous professional learning, and these activities will likely be most meaningful and impactful when recognized by government and other licensing bodies.

Associations between Child Snack and Beverage Consumption, Severe Dental Caries, and Malnutrition in Nepal.

The global nutrition transition and increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed snacks have contributed to increasing rates of child obesity and dental caries in developing countries. In Nepal, where child malnutrition rates are high, the relationship between malnutrition and dental caries is poorly understood. This cross-sectional study aims to assess this relationship among a convenience sample of 273 children age six months to less than 12 years in three communities in Nepal, using parent/caregiver interviews, child dental exams, and anthropometric measurements. Fisher's exact test and independent t-tests examined associations between dietary practices and severe caries and between severe caries and malnutrition, respectively. Children consumed sugar-sweetened beverages and processed snacks frequently: 80% consumed tea with sugar, 60% consumed sweet snacks, and 65% consumed processed savory snacks daily. Overall, 74% of children had untreated tooth decay, and 21% exhibited stunting malnutrition, 14% were underweight, and 6% presented wasting. Significant associations were found between daily consumption of sweets and processed snacks with severe caries and between severe caries and poorer nutritional status. These findings underscore the need to incorporate nutrition and oral health promotion and dental treatment into maternal-child health services and schools and to strengthen policies to reduce children's access to junk food.