Family Medicine Center Research Articles

Impact of a diabetic retinal exam screening program on quality measure gaps at a family medicine practice

BackgroundDiabetic retinopathy is a common complication in people with diabetes, and annual screening is recommended by the American Diabetes Association. This annual exam is also a Health Effectiveness Data and Information Set quality measure. Barriers such as lack of access to healthcare or cost of specialist visits may impact the number of patients who receive these exams. ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to describe the impact of a diabetic retinal exam screening program at a rural family medicine center on the number of quality measure gaps resolved. Practice descriptionThis study occurred at a rural family medicine center in southwestern Pennsylvania with a medically underserved patient population. A pharmacist at the site holds board certifications in Advanced Diabetes Management and as a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and manages diabetes through a collaborative practice agreement. Practice innovationA regional Medicaid plan provided a list of patients with a quality measure gap for an annual diabetic retinal exam and loaned a RetinaVue 700 Imager to take retinal photos. After screening eligible patients via phone, retinal exams were administered by student pharmacists and medical assistants to consenting patients over the course of 9 days. Images were then sent to an ophthalmologist to be interpreted. Evaluation methodsThe rate of quality measure gaps closed and satisfaction survey results are reported using descriptive statistics. ResultsA total of 61 patients were included in the analysis. This program closed quality measure gaps for 11 (18.0%) patients who were able to receive an in-office eye exam. ConclusionThis pilot project shows that offering in-office diabetic retinal exams may be an effective strategy to close quality measure gaps and provide access to screening among a medically underserved population.

The Relationship Between Continuity of Care and Enhancement of Clinical Outcomes Among Patients with Chronic Conditions.

Continuity of care is one of the main principles of family medicine, described as a relationship with a single provider that extends beyond a single illness episode. This retrospective study, conducted at King Saud University Family Medicine Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aimed to investigate the impact of having a regular primary care provider on clinical outcomes and preventive service delivery for patients with diabetes and/or hypertension. The study, spanning 2017 to 2019, included 400 patients diagnosed with diabetes and/or hypertension for at least six months before the 6-month pre-attachment period to regular family medicine physicians in 2018. Data before and after attachment for at least six months were compared using electronic health records. The mean age of the patients was 60.9, with a predominant female representation (66.8%) and 90.7% Saudis. Results indicated a significant improvement in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (p = 0.005) and systolic blood pressure (p = 0.014) post-attachment. Preventive service delivery saw notable enhancements, with increased colon cancer screening (p = 0.03), breast cancer screening (p < 0.001), and retinal screening (p < 0.001) post-attachment. This study's findings underscore the importance of continuity of care in chronic disease management and provide valuable and promising insights into the Saudi healthcare context, aligning with the Saudi Ministry of Health's vision for universal access to regular primary care providers.

Exploring the utilization and perceptions of pre-travel health consultations in primary care settings in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundInternational travel exposes individuals to diverse health risks, necessitating proactive pre-travel health preparations. Saudi Arabia has witnessed increased outbound travel. This study addresses a critical gap in knowledge by investigating the utilization and perceptions of pre-travel health consultations among adults in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.MethodsThis cross-sectional study surveyed patients at the Family and Community Medicine Center of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University during January 2024 to explore perceptions of pre-travel health consultations among the Saudi Arabian population. Adults aged 18 years or older in the waiting area were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire.ResultsOf the 772 participants, 624 (80.8%) engaged in international travel within the last year. However, 593 (76.8%) had never sought pre-travel health consultations. Age, gender, and education level significantly influenced the pursuit of pre-travel health advice, with older individuals, females, and those with higher educational attainment more likely to seek consultations. Participants perceived vaccination recommendations (597, 77.4%) and disease prevention information (678, 87.8%) as crucial parts of pre-travel health consultations. However, barriers to seeking advice included perceived low risk (445, 74.8%), lack of awareness (215, 36.3%), time constraints (128, 21.6%), and cost concerns (92, 15.5%).ConclusionThe low prevalence of pre-travel health consultations among travelers highlights the need for targeted educational campaigns and the integration of travel health services into primary healthcare. Addressing the identified barriers and leveraging preferred information sources are crucial steps towards enhancing the uptake of pre-travel health consultations, ultimately improving the health and safety of international travelers from the region.

Features of the Epidemiological Process of Measles Incidence in the Rural Population in the Territory of FGP no. 7 in the City Family Doctors Center Jalal-Abad of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2023

The article discusses the features of the epidemiological process of the incidence of measles infection in the rural population in the territory of the group of family doctors (FGP) No. 7 in the Family Medicine Center (FMC) in the city of Jalal-Abad. On the territory of FGP No. 7, registration of measles infection began from November to December 2023. A high prevalence rate was recorded among young children: in first place were children under one year of age (13.3 per 1000 children); in the second — children 1-2 years old (3.9 per 1000 children); in third place are children 3-5 years old (2.4 per 1000 children) and 6-9 years old (0.9 per 1000 children). No cases of measles were found among adults. By category of cases, a large proportion were unvaccinated children (87.5%), including 42.9% by age and 57.1% among refuseniks. In terms of the number of cases, a large share was made up of unorganized children (87.5%) and children attending kindergartens (12.5%). On the territory of the FGP, in 8 measles foci, a total of 112 contact persons were found, among them there were no cases of measles, however, focality was noted in a family with one case and in two families with two cases each. All contact persons in the outbreaks were vaccinated with MMR and MCV.

Reasons for Nurses Leaving the Profession

Nurses are an important part of health systems worldwide, making up nearly 50% of the global health workforce. The world is currently facing a shortage of 5.9 million nurses and midwives, which is expected to increase to a global shortage of 9 million by 2030. The growing shortage of nurses is considered a critical global problem, which is exacerbated by the trend of nurses leaving the profession. Inadequate wages, described by nurses as a negative factor, reinforcing the intention to leave the profession. The desire to leave the profession arises among nurses not only around the world, but also in our republic. The reasons for leaving medical workers with secondary education from the profession working at the primary level, in particular in family medicine centers and at the secondary level, i.e. in a hospital, are considered. Among nurses in the hospital, the main reason for leaving the profession was often high workload, insufficient wages, high professional risks and an unsatisfactory psychological climate in the team. In the nurses of the Family Medicine Centers, the same reasons were also indicated as the main reasons, but with a significantly low frequency. To solve the problem of nurses leaving the profession, a targeted personnel policy is needed, including increasing motivation to work, in particular, raising wages, reducing professional risks, developing mentoring for young professionals, constantly improving working conditions, improving job descriptions, protecting the rights of nurses.

Features of the Organization of Vaccination of the Adult Population Living in Rural Areas of Groups of Family Doctors No. 7 in the Background of the Family Medicine Center of Jalal-Abad City of the Kyrgyz Republic

The results of organizing rapid testing and vaccination against viral hepatitis B among the adult population of group of family doctors No. 7, in the family medicine center of the city of Jalal-Abad, are presented. In 2023, 241 people underwent rapid testing, of which 236 had negative test results. Coverage was 4.3%. The high frequency of vaccination of the first, second and third doses against parenteral viral hepatitis occurs in the age group of 50-59 years, then in 40-49 years and in third place — 60 years and older. More women (61.4%) apply for vaccination than men (38.6%). Among those who applied, most often are the unemployed population, then contact persons, and in third place are teachers of educational institutions.

"It Takes a Village"- A Conversation with the Interprofessional Diabetes Clinic at the ECU Health Family Medicine Center.

Interprofessional collaboration and shared understanding positively impact both patients and providers. Current recommendations from the CDC and experts agree that collaboration between diverse professions is necessary to improve patient outcomes and empower patients to selfmanage their chronic conditions.

Results of Organization of Vaccination Against Viral Hepatitis in the Adult Population for 2023 on the Territory of Family Physician Group No. 2 Family Medicine Center of Jalal-Abad City, Kyrgyz Republic

The article reflects the results of organizing express testing and vaccination against viral hepatitis B among the adult population of family physician group no. 2, family medicine center in the city of Jalal-Abad. During this period, n=317 (2.4%) people underwent express testing, of which n=307 (96.8%) had negative results; n=10 (3.2%) was identified, with positive results. results for viral hepatitis B. The coverage of the population for vaccination against parenteral viral hepatitis at the level of family physician groups is very low — the daily average load of the population visiting the testing point and vaccination point against parenteral viral hepatitis during the year averaged 2.5 people. During the year, the highest frequency of those vaccinated with the 1-2-3rd dose falls in the age group of 50-59 years (34.6 and 29.5 per 1000 population), and in second place are 40-49 years and 60 years and older (by 33.0 and 27.0 per 1000 population). Among those who applied for 1-2-3 vaccinations, a large proportion are made up of the non-working population (code-120), then in second place are persons examined for clinical and epidemiological indications (code-113). More women apply to receive vaccination against parenteral viral hepatitis — 63.6%, men — 36.4%.

Frontiers in Operations: Does Physician’s Choice of When to Perform EHR Tasks Influence Total EHR Workload?

Problem definition: Physicians spend more than five hours a day working on Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems and more than an hour doing EHR tasks after the end of the workday. Numerous studies have identified the detrimental effects of excessive EHR use and after-hours work, including physician burnout, physician attrition, and appointment delays. However, EHR time is not purely an exogenous factor because it depends on physician usage behavior that could have important operational consequences. Interestingly, prior literature has not considered this topic rigorously. In this paper, we investigate how physicians’ workflow decisions on when to perform EHR tasks affect: (1) total time on EHR and (2) time spent after work. Methodology/results: Our data comprise around 150,000 appointments from 74 physicians from a large Academic Medical Center Family Medicine unit. Our data set contains detailed, process-level time stamps of appointment progression and EHR use. We find that the effect of working on EHR systems depends on whether the work is done before or after an appointment. Pre-appointment EHR work reduces total EHR workload and after-work hours spent on EHR. Post-appointment EHR work reduces after-work hours on EHR but increases total EHR time. We find that increasing idle time between appointments can encourage both pre- and post-appointment EHR work. Managerial implications: Our results not only help us understand the timing and structure of work on secondary tasks more generally but also will help healthcare administrators create EHR workflows and appointment schedules to reduce physician burnout associated with excessive EHR use. History: This paper has been accepted in the Manufacturing &amp; Service Operations Management Frontiers in Operations Initiative. Funding: The research conducted for this paper received partial funding from the Center of Business for Health at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2023.0028 .

Telemedicine visits requiring follow-up in-person visits at an urban academic family medicine centre.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine was rapidly implemented in care settings globally. To understand what factors affect the successful completion of telemedicine visits in our urban, academic family medicine clinic setting, we analysed telemedicine visits carried out during the pandemic. We conducted a retrospective chart review of telemedicine visits from 2 clinical units within a family medicine centre. To investigate the association between incomplete visits and various factors (age, gender, presenting complaints, physician level of training [resident or staff] and patient-physician relational continuity), we performed a multivariable logistic regression on data from August 2020, February 2021, and May 2021. An incomplete visit is one that requires a follow-up in-person visit with a physician within 3 days. Of the 2,138 telemedicine patient visits we investigated, 9.6% were incomplete. Patients presenting with lumps and bumps (OR: 3.84, 95% CI: 1.44, 10.5), as well as those seen by resident physicians (OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.56) had increased odds of incomplete visits. Telemedicine visits at the family medicine clinic (Site A) with registered patients had lower odds of incomplete visits (OR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.39) than those at the community clinic (Site B), which provides urgent/episodic care with no associated relational continuity between patients and physicians. In our urban clinical setting, only a small minority of telemedicine visits required an in-person follow-up visit. This information may be useful in guiding approaches to triaging patients to telemedicine or standard in-person care.

Epidemiological Assessment of the Incidence of Measles (Morbilli), Old - New Infection in the Population in the Territory Jalal-Abad Kyrgyz Republic (Group of Family Doctors no. 2, Family Medicine Center)

The article carried out an epidemiological analysis of the incidence of measles in the territory of Family Doctors Group (FGP) no. 2, Family Medicine Center (FMC) in Jalal-Abad. For 2023, the incidence rate of measles in the population was registered at 3.5 per 1000 children. The rise of measles in the FGP territory began in October, where 1.4 cases per 1000 children were registered, in November 1.2 cases per 1000 children, and a subsequent decline in cases in December — 0.6 cases per 1000 children. Among those with measles, a large proportion were children under 14 years of age — 92.2%, adolescents — 1.3% and adults — 6.5%. The prevalence of measles among young children is high, in first place among children aged 1-2 years (28.2 per 1000 children), in second place among children under one year of age (26.6 per 1000 children) and in third place among children 3-5 years old (16.7 per 1000 children). In terms of contingents, a large share was made up of unorganized children (68.8%) and schoolchildren (23.3%). By gender, 51.9% of men and 48.1% of women fell ill with measles. Among those sick with measles, 10.3% were vaccinated against measles, information on preventive vaccinations was unknown or there was no form no. 063 — 20.9%, those not vaccinated against measles amounted to 68.8%, by age 18.8%, by medical exemption 20.8% and refusing 60.4%. There are only 216 contacts in the measles outbreaks, of which 18 (8.3%) children fell ill. Focal morbidity was noted with one case in 59 foci, 2 cases in 4, 3 cases in 2 and 4 cases in one family.

Nurses’ attitudes to care of the elderly

According to the United Nations most recent figures (2020), the percentage of the people over the age of 65 accounts for 9.31% of the total global population in 2020. This phenomena is expected to have a direct impact on health care services, raising demand and influencing health care workers' attitudes and services for elderly individuals. The purpose of this study is to analyze nurses' attitudes toward senior care and to identify the associated factors that influence their opinions. The study is of the transverse (cross-sectional) type. Between January and March 2022, 299 nurses were surveyed at four public institutions: the University Clinical Centre, the General Hospital "Dr. Sami Haxhibeqiri" in Mitrovica, the Main Centre of Family Medicine "Dr. Hafir Shala" in Drenas, and the Family Medicine Centre in Komoran. The sample was chosen at random. The majority of the nurses in the survey (86.3%) agree with the statement that they have favorable attitudes toward aged care and that health services are provided qualitatively in the health institutions where the research was performed (76% of respondents). The amount of education of nurses had the greatest impact on the emergence of compliance with positive attitudes, with results showing that nurses with a higher level of education tend to have compliance with more favorable attitudes toward care for elderly individuals. The majority of the nurses who took part in the study believe that they have generally positive views toward aged care and that the provision of nursing care services in their healthcare institutions is of high quality.

Possibilities of Using the National Electronic Data Syetstem in Assessing the Control of Arterial Hypertension at The Primary Health Care Level in the Kyrgyz Republic Using the Example of a Single Family Medicine Center.

To determine the capabilities of the National Electronic System for collecting quantitative data necessary to assess the quality of management and effectiveness of arterial hypertension (AH) control at the primary health care (PHC) level and to develop indicators and possibilities of their use for a standardized report on the quality of AH management and control at the PHC level in the Kyrgyz Republic. Data from electronic outpatient records were processed for all registered patients of a pilot family medicine center (FMC) that was selected randomly. The registered patient group consisted of 91,226 people older than 18 years, including 37,740 men and 53,486 women. The data obtained during contact with a patient was entered by the family doctor into the electronic outpatient record and automatically forwarded to the center that collected and aggregated the data. To monitor AH control, 11 indicators were developed and evaluated. The indicators were divided into 3 groups: indicators for identifying AH, indicators for the quality of AH patient management, and indicators for the effectiveness of AH control. In total, 26,206 patients (7,933 men and 18,273 women) visited the FMC during a year, and blood pressure (BP) was measured in 71.4% of them. In 2022, 5,072 patients (5.6% of the registered group) visited the FMC for AH, including 1,539 men and 3,533 women (4.1 and 6.6% of the registered patient group, respectively; p&lt;0.001). The proportion of patients with AH who, according to the clinical protocol, had their BP measured 2 times a year or more, was 81.4% and was slightly higher for women than for men (82.3% and 79.1%, respectively; p&lt;0.01). 38.7% of AH patients received antihypertensive drugs. Lipid-lowering therapy was prescribed to 23.5% of AH patients. The proportion of AH patients taking acetylsalicylic acid was higher, 36.3% for the whole group, including 34.1% for men and 37.2% for women (p&lt;0.05). The efficacy of AH treatment was 62.8%. Any monitoring system has limitations for the amount of useful data that can be obtained ensuring their proper quality. Taking this into account, two major indicators are suggested to use for evaluating the effectiveness of AH control at the PHC level: 1) the number of AH patients who have achieved the BP goal; 2) the number of AH patients who visited a medical institution (health care facility) during a calendar year relative to the number of registered patients (AH detectability).

SSRI Efficacy in Treating Major Depressive Disorder: Preliminary Findings

Background: Conflicting evidence on the relative effectiveness of second-generation antidepressants has made initial management of major depressive disorder (MDD) complex and frequently results in a trial-and-error-based approach to treatment. With recent literature suggesting serotonin plays no significant role in the etiology of depression, further investigation of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as a firstline treatment of MDD is warranted.&#x0D; Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients 18 years or older visiting the Fort Wayne Family Medicine Center and completing a Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) or Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD) from January 2020 through May 2023 was performed. Comparative analysis of PHQ and GAD scores was performed to determine if any differences in treatment management outcomes were present between SSRI therapy and other treatment approaches.&#x0D; Results: 1,502 patients met the inclusion criteria. Due to time constraints, a sample of 45 patients (10 males, 35 females) was selected and preliminary results are as follows: After initiating treatment with an SSRI, 14 (42.4%) PHQ scores and 7 (24.1%) GAD scores demonstrated improved disease severity. After initiating treatment with another antidepressant class, 10 (31.3%) PHQ scores and 17 (48.6%) GAD scores demonstrated improved disease severity. There was no significant difference (p=0.351) in treatment outcomes between antidepressant class in terms of PHQ results, but a significant difference (p=0.044) was found between groups with regards to GAD results.&#x0D; Conclusions: This study describes preliminary findings on the current patterns of care for mental health within a primary care setting and demonstrates antidepressant classes appear equally efficacious in treating depression. However, anxiety management outcomes appear to be influenced by antidepressant class administered. Future analysis will include the entire available dataset and produce more robust results from which to improve patient-specific and community health outcomes.

Assessment of knowledge and practices of exclusive breastfeeding among rural women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt: a cross sectional study

BackgroundWorldwide exclusive breastfeeding is still recommended as a successful strategy even during the COVID -19 pandemic to lower infant morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices of exclusive breastfeeding among rural women during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at EL-Morabeen Family Medicine Center in rural Damietta, Egypt among 178 lactating women who were chosen by using the purposive sampling technique. A developed structured questionnaire consisting of four parts was used to gather data from March to May 2022. Univariate analysis for descriptive data and bivariate analysis through the chi-square test were performed.ResultsThe current study revealed that 73% of the studied rural women did not receive any breastfeeding counseling during antenatal visits and 61.2% of them believed that coronavirus was transmitted through breastmilk. Only 15.2% of them breastfed their infant exclusively for 6 months, 88.2% of mothers delayed breastfeeding initiation after delivery and 48.3% administered the prelacteal feeds. A total of 98.3% of rural women had never made skin-to-skin contact, and 79.2% of them had not been vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, a statistically significant association between good knowledge and practice with highly educated women aged 26–30 years, with a monthly income of 4000–6000 L.E was found. Furthermore, only 26.4% and 26.1% of rural women had good knowledge and practice scores respectively.ConclusionSuboptimal breastfeeding practices, such as delayed onset of breastfeeding, low percentages of exclusivity, early weaning, prelacteal feeding administration, and lack of skin-to-skin contact during the COVID -19 pandemic were prevalent among the studied rural mothers. Breastfeeding counseling for all pregnant women and implementation of evidence-based practices in the health care system, such as the early initiation of breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact, are recommended.

Temporal stability and correlation of EEG markers and depression questionnaires scores in healthy people

Mental disorders, especially depression, have become a rising problem in modern society. The development of methods and markers for the early detection of mental disorders is an actual problem. Psychological questionnaires are the only tools for evaluating the symptoms of mental disorders in clinical practice today. The electroencephalography (EEG) based non-invasive and cost-effective method seems feasible for the early detection of depression in occupational and family medicine centers and personal monitoring. The reliability of the EEG markers in the early detection of depression assumes their high temporal stability and correlation with the scores of depression questionnaires. The study was been performed on 17 healthy people over three years. Two hypotheses have been evaluated in the current study: first, the temporal stability of EEG markers is close to the stability of the scores of depression questionnaires, and second, EEG markers and depression questionnaires’ scores are not correlated in healthy people. The results of the performed study support both hypotheses: the temporal stability of EEG markers is high and close to the stability of depression questionnaires scores and the correlation between the EEG markers and depression questionnaires scores is not detected in healthy people. The results of the current study contribute to the interpretation of results in depression EEG studies and to the feasibility of EEG markers in the detection of depression.

The condition of cervical tooth wear and association with brushing habits among students of Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Background: Cervical tooth wear is a common oral health issue that often leads to the loss of tooth structure integrity, making the teeth sensitive, prone to plaque buildup, affecting the dental pulp, and causing aesthetic concerns. Assessing the extent of tooth erosion and its correlation with brushing habits is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of necessary interventions and preventive measures. Objective: To determine the prevalence and severity of cervical tooth wear in young individuals aged 18-25 and examine the association between brushing habits and cervical tooth wear. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 60 undergraduate students from the Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, aged 18 - 25, who visited the Odonto-Stomatology Clinic, Family Medicine Center from November 2020 to April 2021. Study participants were interviewed and provided clinical examinations after obtaining their consent. Results: The study findings revealed a relatively high prevalence of cervical tooth wear (53.3%). Most cases exhibited a severity score 0 (no tooth wear), and no cases were classified as score 4. The highest prevalence of cervical tooth wear was observed in the left mandibular (65.6%). Regarding the association between cervical tooth wear and brushing habits, there was a significant correlation between horizontal brushing technique and brush hardness with cervical tooth wear (p &lt; 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between brushing frequency, toothbrush replacement time, brushing duration, and force applied during brushing with cervical tooth wear (p &gt; 0.05). Conclusion: In general, the prevalence of cervical tooth wear is relatively high, and there exists a correlation between horizontal tooth brushing habits and brush hardness with the condition of cervical tooth wear. Therefore, implementing preventive measures against cervical tooth wear is crucial for enhancing oral health for everyone. Key words: cervical tooth wear, brushing habits, brush hardness, student.

Acupuncture for postpartum pain

South Baldwin Regional Medical Center Family Medicine Residency, Foley, AL The corresponding faculty author on the manuscript is Timothy Mott; [email protected]. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Does it matter how I get the steroid?

Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center Family Medicine Residency, Fort Gordon, Georgia The corresponding faculty author on the manuscript is John Earwood; [email protected]. The authors declare no conflict of interest. The views expressed in this PURL are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Parents toward (Infant &amp; Child) Oral Health in Family Medicine Center at PSMMC, Riyadh

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the infant/child oral health (IOH) related knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of parents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 327 parents. Visiting the family medicine center at prince sultan military medical city, Riyadh Saudi Arabia. A 39-item questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics and questions pertaining to KAP regarding OH care will used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics, Student's t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Scheffe’s test will use for the statistical analysis (P ≤ 0.05). Results: The result showed that majority of the parents had good knowledge regarding OH, knowledge of cleaning (92.4%) and knowledge of amount of sugar (88.1%). The parents of age group (30 to 39) years (n=147) reported the highest mean (knowledge, attitudes, and practice) scores among all other age groups with a knowledge mean score of (6.80± 1.73), an attitude mean score of (8.86±1.37), and a practice mean score of (5.14± 1.86). Female parents showed a significantly higher mean knowledge, attitude and practices scores than the male parents. In addition, middle income level parents’ group (n=295) reported higher knowledge mean score compared to low-income parents’ group (n=15) with mean difference d=1.15, p=.041. Conclusion: Parents knowledge about maintaining oral and dental health care for infant/child was inadequate. Essentially, medical professionals are the initial ones to interact with expecting and new moms. Therefore, need to raise parents’ awareness about oral and dental health for infants/ child, through develop and implementation long-term education and promotions programs.