Approximately 6.2 million Americans with diabetes remain undiagnosed. With Diabetes Risk Assessment Plus, dentists are in a perfect position to help identify these patients.
New from Healthy Heart Dentistry, Diabetes Risk Assessment Plus is the first diabetes risk assessment to combine an immediateresult blood glucose test with a self-collected, laboratory- tested hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c) test.
In keeping with American Diabetes Association recommendations, fasting blood glucose is used as the first-line indication of glucose control, and Hb A1c analysis serves as a screening tool for long-term glucose control.
The FDA-approved tests require only a single drop of blood for both analyses, and Diabetes Risk Assessment Plus is the only such test that enables identification of pre-diabetes.
The test kit comes with all needed testing supplies (lancets, gauze, bandage) as well as a glucose test card, consent form, lab requisition and transport materials, and detailed instructions. Eight-hour fasting is required before the glucose test, which may be sent home with the patient and self-administered.
Seven dentists participated in this Dental Product Shopper evaluation of Diabetes Risk Assessment Plus, rating such features as ease of use, ability to identify abnormal blood chemistries, and effectiveness as a patient-education tool.
Ease of Use and Ease of Understanding (Instructions and Collection Steps)
To use Diabetes Risk Assessment Plus, a single drop of blood from a “finger nick” is placed on the glucose test card. After 3 minutes, the color of the test area is compared to that on the reference card to determine the fasting glucose level. When glucose is ≥75 mg/dL, the same sample is sent to the lab for Hb A1c analysis, which shows average glucose control over the previous 3 months.
Ease of use was rated as excellent by 5 evaluators and as very good by 2. The instructions were rated as excellent by 5 evaluators, as very good by 1, and as good by 1. Three evaluators rated ease of understanding the collection steps as excellent, 3 rated it as very good, and 1 rated it as good.
Ability to Identify Abnormal Blood Chemistries
Results from the Hb A1c analysis (depicting diabetes risk as low, medium, or high) are returned to the office along with recommendations for follow-up.
The ability of Diabetes Risk Assess - ment Plus to identify abnormal blood chemistries was rated as excellent by 5 evaluators and as very good by 2. One evaluator said “no problem.”
Effectiveness as a Patient-Education Tool (Communicating Testing Benefits and Prompting Physician Follow-Up)
Before testing, patients fill out a simple questionnaire intended to enhance diabetes awareness. Patients leave with an educational message highlighting risks, symptoms, and complications. According to Healthy Heart, the lab report “drives the dialogue between patient, dentist, and primary care physician.”
The evaluators were asked about Diabetes Risk Assessment Plus’ effectiveness as an aid in helping patients understand the benefits of such a test, and about its effectiveness in prompting patients to seek physician follow-up. In both cases, 6 dentists rated it as excellent and 1 rated it as very good. One evaluator said it was “effective if the result is abnormal.” Another dentist noted that “some of the patients’ questionnaire answers would be influenced by the way the staff addressed the steps. If they’re believers, there’s absolutely no problem!”
Overall Satisfaction and Patient Reaction
Overall satisfaction was rated as excellent by 4 evaluators and as very good by 3. Four evaluators rated patient reaction to the Diabetes Risk Assessment kit as excellent, 2 rated it as very good, and 1 rated it as good. One evaluator said “no negatives; many patients are dumbfounded.” When asked if they would recommend the kit to colleagues, 6 evaluators said definitely and 1 said probably. All 7 evaluators said they would definitely purchase it in the future.
