title: Dental clinics as potent sources for screening undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This pilot study investigated the efficacy of dental clinics as potent sources for screening diabetes and prediabetes in undiagnosed individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were randomly collected from 385 patients (aged 40 years and older) visiting dental clinics. Patients already having a diagnosis of diabetes and/or prediabetes were excluded. Demographic data, body mass index and family and dental histories were recorded. Signs and symptoms of diabetes were investigated. Random blood glucose levels (RBGLs) were recorded. Individuals with RBGL ≥110 mg/dL underwent the oral glucose tolerance test and the glycosylated hemoglobin test (HbA1c).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 385 patients, 60% (232) had RBGL <110 mg/dL, whereas 40% (153) had RBGL ≥110 mg/dL. Prevalence of confirmed diabetes and prediabetes among the study participants was 16.4% and 15.8%, respectively. Body mass index was significantly higher among patients with diabetes and prediabetes as compared with healthy controls. HbA1c level was statistically significantly higher among patients with diabetes than among patients with prediabetes. Symptoms of polyuria and polydipsia were significantly higher among patients with diabetes than in those without diabetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high percentage of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes and prediabetes among patients visiting dental clinics was found compared with that reported in the medical literature. Further studies with a lager sample size are needed to confirm these results.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Basic Oral and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.. Electronic address: asalghamdi2@kau.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Ali Saad Thafeed
authors.initials: AST
authors.lastname: AlGhamdi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Basic Oral and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sahar M N
authors.initials: SMN
authors.lastname: Bukhari
authors.affiliation: Departments of Basic Oral and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Wael Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.affiliation: Conservative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Merdad
authors.affiliation: Conservative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Helal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sonbul
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology