CDM Student Designs Educational Module to Increase Oral Health Knowledge for OB/GYN Clinicians

Bree Zhang, president of the class of 2026 at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and a student in the DDS/MPH dual degree program, has been awarded the 2024 Columbia University Provost Grant for Innovative Course Design, based on a proposal to develop an educational module on oral health during pregnancy geared toward obstetrics and gynecology residents.

The course, “Oral Health and Pregnancy: An Educational Module for Medical Students in the Ob/Gyn Clerkship,” aims to increase knowledge for medical students and residents, to provide guidance on how to incorporate dental care into routine prenatal care through the development of an educational module, and to provide a streamlined path for prenatal dental referral for patients in the ambulatory care network clinics where students and residents serve as providers.

Zhang says that she got the idea from an endocrinology lecture she attended. “Gingivitis, poor oral health, and periodontitis all have negative influences on pregnancy,” Zhang says. “They are associated with pregnancy complications including low birth weight and preterm birth.”

“During pregnancy your chance for oral disease increases,” Zhang says. “Between 60 and 70 percent of pregnant people have gum disease and there is an increased risk of tooth and bone loss.” 

Additionally, a pregnant woman’s oral health is a strong predictor of their future child’s risk of cavities. Children of mothers with poor oral health are three times more likely to miss school due to dental pain.

Zhang says that these statistics are further complicated by the fact that more than half of expectant mothers don’t seek dental treatment during pregnancy. She says that her research revealed that a contributing factor to the low use of oral health services during pregnancy is a lack of provider knowledge about the safety of prenatal oral care. A recent survey of gynecologists found that many hold the mistaken belief that dental x-rays and local anesthesia were unsafe for pregnant women.

Zhang had the idea to create an education module that would shed light on these issues. She approached Dr. Rini Ratan, vice chair of education in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center, who suggested that they apply for the Provost Grant.

Zhang says that the module has been tested with great results. “There was a significant increase in test scores after the module was taught, indicating that knowledge was gained. It’s important that we work to increase the integration of care between dental and medical.”