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Motivational Interviewing as a Catalyst for Oral Health Behavioural Change.

This SkillsFuture-funded workshop titled ‘Promoting Oral Health through Behavioural Change: The Potential of Motivational Interviewing" was held on 27 May 2023 at the Faculty. Led by Assoc Prof Wong Mun Loke, Assoc Prof Gao Xiaoli and Mdm Hor Chuen Yee, this workshop examined the potential of motivational interviewing.

Good oral health directly impacts an individual's overall health and well-being. However, dental professionals often face challenges getting their patients to consistently practise recommended oral health behaviours, such as a healthy diet, adequate oral hygiene, and regular dental checkups. On 27 May, a workshop was conducted addressing this very issue. The workshop focused on utilising Motivational Interviewing (MI) as an effective tool to engage patients and elicit positive behavioural change for better oral health outcomes.

Assoc Prof Gao explaining Motivational Interviewing at the workshop.

Oral health goes beyond a beautiful smile. Poor oral health behaviours can lead to various dental problems, such as tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath. Moreover, research has shown links between oral health and systemic conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory infections. Therefore, it is crucial for oral healthcare professionals to empower patients to maintain good oral health practices to prevent potential dental issues in the future.

Motivational Interviewing is a patient-centred conversational style that focuses on strengthening one’s motivation and commitment to change. The workshop included interactive lectures, case analyses, and role-plays with standard patients. Through these, participants gained a comprehensive understanding of MI approaches.

A participant applies Motivational Interviewing approaches to engage in a simulated dialogue,
mirroring real-life interactions with patients.

One of the speakers, Assoc Prof Gao, explained, “Changing health behaviours is an important and difficult task. Although healthcare providers have been trying hard to educate patients, the knowledge gained seldom translates into sustained changes in health behaviours. This workshop is organised to address this issue. Participants learnt what MI is and how it can be applied in dental settings and were given plenty of opportunities to practise and to get feedback.”

One of the participants, Dr Madeleine Tan, said that “this course was a great opportunity to explore, learn and apply MI skills to promote positive changes in our patients' oral health behaviours through a more collaborative and patient-centric approach.”

Participants learned that when MI is applied in healthcare settings, it can be a game-changer. MI equips oral health professionals with the necessary approaches to understand patients’ unique perspectives and empower them to adopt healthier oral health habits, ultimately achieving better oral health outcomes.