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HIV point of care testing (POCT) is a common approach to expanding testing into non-specialised settings. Dental services have untapped potential to screen for health conditions including HIV. However, the perspectives of UK dental patients, dental professionals, and people with HIV are unknown. Ten focus groups were undertaken with dental patients, professionals, and people with HIV. The Framework method was used to analyse the qualitative data. Six themes were generated from the focus group data. The themes explored perceptions of HIV, the purpose, appropriateness, and acceptability of HIV testing in dental settings, and new processes that would need to be established in order to successfully implement point of care HIV testing in UK dental settings. Training needs were identified including communication skills and updates to current knowledge about HIV. HIV testing in dental settings is generally acceptable to dental patients, dental professionals, and PWH. However, of concern were logistical challenges and the risk of patients surprised at being offered an HIV test during a visit to the dentist. Nonetheless, the public health benefits of the intervention were well understood, i.e., early detection of HIV and initiation of treatment to improve health outcomes. Dental teams were able to generate novel solutions that could help to overcome contextual and logistical challenges to implementing HIV testing in dental settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, one in four people living with HIV are unaware of their status. Current HIV testing services' strategies are falling short of reaching all, and thus, HIV testing should be offered in more decentralized and non‐traditional settings such as the dental and community settings. The workshop titled "HIV Testing: What, Where, and How?" provided an overview of concepts and advances in HIV point of care and self‐testing diagnostics and a discussion on the implementation of HIV self‐test interventions in different healthcare settings and its impact thereof. We also described how to build layperson capacity to deliver HIV testing in community settings. Additionally, we discussed what we have learned from expanding HIV testing beyond the specialist setting. We also noted considerations (i.e. provider willingness, test selection, training and preparing testing environment) dentists and other non‐specialist providers need to account for if they are planning to conduct HIV testing. Finally, we highlighted facilitators and barriers to implementing HIV testing in the dental setting on a global scale. These considerations are critical to meeting the UNAIDS 90–90–90 target to help end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV is no longer a death sentence with early diagnosis and effective treatment contributing to a good prognosis. Surveillance data, however, suggest that one in four people globally living with HIV are unaware of their HIV infection and remains at risk of transmitting their infection if having unprotected sex. A wider array of testing opportunities and settings are thus needed to address this issue of public health significance. Evidence suggests there is a role for the dental team, particularly dentists, in offering chairside point‐of‐care HIV screening to patients during their dental appointments. Dentists, dental hygienists, and other members of the dental team may still have a role in helping to identify new cases of HIV with the goal of improving health outcomes, addressing health inequalities and improving the quality and quantity of life. This paper reviews the global epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, summarizes the point‐of‐care HIV testing process, highlights key findings of international studies (from high‐, middle‐, and low‐income countries) on the role of dental professionals in point‐of‐care HIV testing, and offers suggestions for what additional evidence is needed to make point‐of‐care HIV testing a routine part of dental care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: One in eight people living with an HIV infection in the United States is unaware of their status. Rapid HIV testing (RHT) is an easily used and accepted screening tool that has been introduced in a limited number of clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate patient acceptability, certainty of their decision, and willingness to pay for screening if RHT was offered in university-based dental hygiene clinics. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 426 patients at three dental hygiene clinics in New York City over a period of four months. The survey questionnaire was based on the decisional conflict scale measuring personal perceptions; with zero indicating extremely high conflict to four indicating no conflict. Patients were assessed for their acceptance of RHT, provider preference for administration of the test and their willingness to pay for RHT. Results: Over half (72.2%) indicated acceptance of HIV testing in a dental hygiene clinic setting; with 85.3% choosing oral RHT, 4.9% fingerstick RHT, and 8.8% venipuncture. Respondents were amenable to testing when offered by dental hygienists (71.7%) and dentists (72.4%). Over 30% indicated their willingness to receive HIV testing in the dental setting when offered at no additional cost. The mean decisional conflict score was 3.42/4.0 indicating no decisional conflict. Conclusions: Patients are willing to undergo oral RHT when offered as a service and provided by dental hygienists in the dental setting. Patients appear to be aware of the benefits and risks associated with RHT. Further research is needed to evaluate the public health benefits and logistical challenges facing the delivery of RHT within in the dental setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue addressed: Rapid HIV tests were recently approved by the Australian government. This paper examines the attitudes and willingness to conduct rapid HIV testing (RHT) of Australian health educators and health promotion officers (HE/HPO) from various settings and disciplines.Methods: The aim of the Promoting Research on Methods in Screening Expertise study was to explore knowledge of HIV, attitudes towards people living with HIV, and willingness to conduct RHT among HE/HPO in Australia; this information was attained via an online survey of HE/HPO. Descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, t-tests, and multivariate logistic regression were then conducted.Results: Data from 156 HE/HPOs were analysed. Overall, 60% of participants believed that HE/HPO should offer RHT. Additionally, 70% were personally willing to undergo training in conducting RHT. Fifty-nine percent of participants scored as having 'high' HIV knowledge (at least 12 out of 13 correct answers), with 32% answering all questions correctly. Knowledge was strongly associated with willingness to be trained to conduct RHT.Conclusions: HE/HPO with advanced training in developing evidence-based approaches to improve the health and wellbeing of marginalised and disadvantaged groups may be an appropriate workforce to train to conduct RHT and counselling.So what?: As government agencies and community-based organisations plan to expand RHT, HE/HPO, including those who work outside of sexual health, should be considered as a viable workforce to upskill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]