Oral Health Of Preschool Children Research Articles

Applying Social Practice Theory to Explore Australian Preschool Children's Oral Health.

Despite substantial research and provision of dental care, significant morbidity remains for children's oral health. Guided by social practice theory (SPT), this research moves away from the often-ineffective focus on changing individual behavior to rethinking the centrality of the social world in promoting or undermining oral health outcomes. We define social practice as a routinized relational activity linking and integrating certain elements (competence, materials, and meanings) into the performance of a practice that is reproduced across time and space. To investigate oral health in preschool children in Perth, Western Australia, using social practice theory. With no definitive methodology for investigating SPT, we chose focused ethnography as a problem-focused, context-specific approach using mainly interviews to investigate participants' experience caring for their children's oral health. The focus of analysis was the practice of oral health care, not individual behavior, where themes identified from participants' transcripts were organized into categories of elements and performance. Eleven parents, all of whom were married or partnered, were interviewed in 2021. Findings identified social practices relevant to oral health within parenting and family relations linked to routine daily activities, including shopping, consumption of food and beverages, and toothbrushing. Oral health literacy was reflected in integrating competence, materials, and meanings into performing oral health care, notably preferences for children to drink water over sugary beverages and information often being sourced from social media and mothers' groups rather than health providers. Focusing on social practices as the unit of analysis offers a more layered understanding of elements in young children's oral health care that can indicate where the problem may lie. Findings provide an opportunity to consider future research and policy directions in children's oral health. Examining social practices related to young children's oral health care identifies parents/carers' knowledge about, for example, toothbrushing, the resources required, and why toothbrushing is important. Analyzing these separate elements can reveal both enablers and barriers to oral health care. This provides researchers, clinicians and policymakers an opportunity to focus on not changing individual behavior but understanding how social context impacts parents/carers' capacity to make optimum decisions around young children's oral health.

Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale: Psychometric Evaluation in Portuguese Preschoolers.

to contribute to the validation of the Early Childhood Oral Impact Scale (ECOHIS) by studying its psychometric properties when applied to a Portuguese preschool population. Cross-sectional study conducted with children aged between three and five-years-old. The non-probabilistic sample included two preschools in the municipality of Lisbon. Children who agreed to participate and whose guardians signed the informed consent were included. Data collection included a questionnaire, administered to the parents, and an intraoral examination of the children. The questionnaire included the Portuguese version of ECOHIS. The intraoral examination included the caries diagnosis according to the World Health Organization criteria. Discriminant validity compared the ECOHIS score between children with and without caries experience (Mann-Whitney U-test). Cohen's d was calculated to estimate the magnitude of the difference. Reliability analysis included Cronbach's α and test-retest. Construct validity was analyzed by the correlation between the ECOHIS score and dmft (Spearman's correlation). A significance level of 5% was used. The sample included 104 children (mean age 4.1 years). ECOHIS values were significantly different between children with and without caries (p=0.004). The Cohen's d was 0.84. The Cronbach's was 0.78, with no significant increase in value when eliminating any of the items. The test-retest showed significant correlation (r=0.76; p=0.01). There was a significant correlation between the ECOHIS score and caries experience (r=0.28; p=0.004). The Portuguese version of the ECOHIS showed good psychometric properties, indicating that it is a reliable and valid tool to measure the impact of oral health in preschool children.

“Voces desde el Aula, el Escritorio y el Sillón Dental”: Evaluación Cualitativa del Programa Intersectorial en Salud Bucal “Sembrando Sonrisas” en Bío Bío, Chile

Aim: The Chilean national program “Sembrando sonrisas” is an intersectoral work strategy that aims to maintain and improve the oral health of preschool children, fostering the promotion and prevention of oral health. The aim of this research was to explore the perceptions of the relevant actors regarding the implementation of the aforementioned program, identifying critical nodes and opportunities for improvement. Materials and Methods: Qualitative approach based on the “Grounded Theory” applied to 13 in-depth interviews of intersectoral health and education professionals from the Bío-Bío Region, Chile. Results: The following categories emerged related to intersectoral work with emphasis on Governance, Conditions for implementation, and Program management. Conclusions: It was shown that, despite the different per-ceptions of the participants, the success of the “Sembrando sonrisas” program is thought to be associated with the emotional-affective component that is present in all the stages of the implementation process. This component has not yet been sufficiently addressed by decision makers. Keywords: Oral health; Health policy; Intersectoral colla-boration; Oral health education; Health promotion; Grounded theory.

Relevance of Sociocultural Inequalities and Parents' Origins in Relation to the Oral Health of Preschoolers in Lanzarote, Spain.

Approaching inequalities to achieve health equity requires joint action. Early childhood caries affects disadvantaged population groups. The objective of this study was to determine the relevance of sociocultural inequalities and parental origin with respect to oral health in preschool children in Lanzarote. A transversal epidemiological study was carried out. Sociocultural data and information about parental origin were collected via a questionnaire. The decayed and filled teeth (dft), decayed teeth (dt), filled teeth (ft), restorative index (RI), plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) were obtained via an investigator's examination. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that children of semi-skilled manual workers (28.15%) had the highest prevalence of caries (46.9%). Additionally 43.7 of the mothers had second grade and first cycle studies. When relating the medium and high level of education, there were statistically significant differences in relation to the cod index (p = 0.046). When the origin was foreign (48.4%), preschoolers presented 10.7% more active or untreated caries than Spaniards (p = 0.038). Low socioeconomic cultural level and foreign origin is associated with a more deficient state of oral health in preschoolers. Oral health programs are needed to minimize social inequalities.

Description of Mother's Knowledge and Attitudes About Dental and Oral Health in Pre-School Children 3-4 Years Old at Bertha Inpatient Primary Clinic in 2023

Dental and oral health is an integral part of overall health that affects a person's quality of life. This study aims to describe the knowledge and attitudes of mothers who have preschool children aged 3-4 years at the Bertha Inpatient Primary Clinic in 2023. This research is a descriptive study using a survey method by distributing questionnaires. The sample of this study was 30 respondents from the mother at Bertha Primary Clinic who had preschool children aged 3-4 years, with the sampling technique that was using accidental sampling. Based on the research, it was found that the knowledge of respondents (mothers) regarding children's dental and oral health was in the good category, 14 respondents (46.7%), enough for 13 respondents (43.3.7%), and lacking for 3 respondents (10.0). %). And mother's attitude regarding children's dental and oral health with a positive category of 27 respondents (90.0%) and a negative category of 3 respondents (10.0%). Researchers suggest that mothers who have children increase their sources of information about dental and oral health by building partnerships with health workers or viewing social media. As well as implementing dental and oral hygiene since early childhood.

LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE PARENTS ABOUT DENTAL AND ORAL MAINTENANCE WITH EXPERIENCE OF CARIES IN PRESCHOOLERS

Background: Preschool age children are a period of growth for a child. Caries problem is a case experienced by preschoolers. This condition is very concerning considering that preschool children still need the role of parents in caring for their health, especially dental health. In this case, parental knowledge is needed in guiding and giving more attention so that children do not experience caries. Research objective: to determine the relationship between the level of knowledge of oral health and caries experience in preschool children at PAUD Al-Jihad, Subang Regency. Methods: research with a cross-sectional design, a population of 40 people, consisting of 20 Al-Jihad PAUD students and 20 students' parents, sampling using non-random sampling method. Data was collected by examining dental caries in children and distributing a list of questions (questionnaire) to the child's parents. Data were analyzed using the chi-square statistical test. The results showed that most of the parents' knowledge about dental and oral health of preschool children in PAUD Al-Jihad was mostly moderate (40%), caries experience in preschool children was mostly with high criteria (55%), there was a relationship between parental knowledge and experience. caries in preschool children (p=0.01<α: 0.05). In this study it can be concluded that there is a relationship between the level of dental and oral health knowledge and caries experience in preschool children at PAUD Al-Jihad, Subang Regency. It is recommended to carry out dental and oral health counseling to parents so that it is hoped that it can increase public knowledge and awareness in maintaining dental and oral health.

Comparing individual-, family-, and community-level effects on the oral health of preschool children: a multilevel analysis of national survey data

BackgroundEarly childhood is a critical stage for the prevention of dental caries. The prevalence of caries in preschool children is still high in Taiwan, where National Health Insurance covers 99% of the population. The effort to improve the oral health of preschool children should be based on conceptual model that encompasses more than individual-level factors. This study input nationwide survey data in a conceptual model to evaluate the effects of comprehensive factors related to the high prevalence of caries in preschool children.MethodsThis observation study examined factors related to the oral health of preschool children by employing a comprehensive multilevel model to analyse nationally representative data from the Taiwan Oral Health Survey of Preschool Children (TOHPC) 2017–2018. Individual-level, family-level and community-level contextual effects were evaluated through multilevel analysis in this study. The proportional change in variance (PCV) was used to compare the multilevel model with the null model and individual-level, family-level, and community-level context effects.ResultsThe estimated deft index for preschool children was 1.34 (1.22–1.47) at age 3, 2.20 (2.08–2.32) at age 4, and 3.05 (2.93–3.18) at age 5. The overall prevalence of caries in preschool children in Taiwan was 34.27% (30.76%, 37.78%) at age 3, 51.67% (48.99%, 54.35%) at age 4, and 62.05% (59.66%, 64.44%) at age 5. The model that included the individual-, family-, and community-context levels exhibited the highest reduction of variance (PCV = 53.98%). The PCV was further reduced to 35.61% when only the level of accessibility to dental services for individuals, families, and the community was considered. For the model in which no community-context cofactors were considered and the model considering only the individual level, the PCVs were 20.37% and 5.52%, respectively.ConclusionsOur findings indicate the key components that affect oral health in preschool children and can serve as a reference for policy makers. The most notable finding of this study is that to improve the oral health of preschool children, community-level factors should be targeted. To rely solely on dentists for leading oral health education programs for children is impractical and inefficient. Training more professional oral health educators to provide additional community-based oral health promotion campaigns is critical. We suggest training more professional oral health educators to provide more community-based oral health promotion campaigns.

Primary caregivers’ perceptions of factors influencing preschool children’s oral health: social practices perspective—a protocol for qualitative metasynthesis

IntroductionThe role of primary caregivers in setting the foundation for a child’s oral health throughout life is well recognised. Due to the dominant behaviour-based approach, research to date has mainly...

DEVELOVMENT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY OF MOBILE APPLICATION “YUMMY” IN PRESCHOOL ORAL HEALTH PROMOTION

The prevalence of caries in primary teeth in Indonesia in the 3-4 year age group was 81.5% with an average deft of 6.2 and experienced an increase in prevalence in the 5 year age group, namely 92.6% with an average deft of 8.1, which means only 7.4% of early childhood free from caries. Kindergarten-aged children generally do not know and have not been able to maintain the health of their oral cavity, so parents are responsible for educating them properly. This study aims to produce dental and oral health educational media using the Android-based "Yummy" application and analyze the feasibility level of the application. Methode of research is Research and Development (R&D) using the ADDIE model. The ADDIE model consists of five stages, 1)Analysis; 2)Design; 3)Development; 4)Implementation and 5)Evaluation. The research instrument is questionnaire, which was used to obtain data on the feasibility of the Android-based "Yummy" application. The questionnaire was filled in by material experts, information technology experts, media experts and application users. Data analysis used descriptive analysis. The results of expert validation obtained an average score of 83.28, which is a very feasible category with a p-value of 0.021. Most of the respondents' test results rated it as very feasible, namely as much as 73.68%. The conclusion of this study is that the Android-based "Yummy" application is relevant and very appropriate as an educational medium in an effort to increase parental knowledge in maintaining the oral health of pre-school children.

Comparison of knowledge between Italian and Spanish parents about the oral health of their preschool children.

To evaluate and compare baseline knowledge between Italian and Spanish parents with regards to the oral and dental health of their preschool children. Study design epidemiological descriptive observational cross-sectional study. The research data was collected through an anonymous bilingual survey, generated through Google Forms and distributed either in paper form or through several digital channels together with a QR code to drive the participants to the questionnaire. In order to assess the differences between Italy and Spain, t-Student (with confidence interval) or Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare the independent numerical variables, and the Chi-Square test was used to compare the independent categorical variables. Independently of the differences identified among the two countries, the results show that parents from both nationalities have limited knowledge about their preschool children's oral health and are not fully informed about child's oral hygiene practices.

Oral Health Coaches at Well-Baby Clinics to Promote Oral Health in Preschool Children From the First Erupted Tooth: Protocol for a Multisite, Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundEarly childhood caries is considered one of the most prevalent diseases in childhood, affecting almost half of preschool-age children globally. In the Netherlands, approximately one-third of children aged 5 years already have dental caries, and dental care providers experience problems reaching out to these children.ObjectiveWithin the proposed trial, we aim to test the hypothesis that, compared to children who receive usual care, children who receive the Toddler Oral Health Intervention as add-on care will have a reduced cumulative caries incidence and caries incidence density at the age of 48 months.MethodsThis pragmatic, 2-arm, individually randomized controlled trial is being conducted in the Netherlands and has been approved by the Medical Ethics Research Board of University Medical Center Utrecht. Parents with children aged 6 to 12 months attending 1 of the 9 selected well-baby clinics are invited to participate. Only healthy children (ie, not requiring any form of specialized health care) with parents that have sufficient command of the Dutch language and have no plans to move outside the well-baby clinic region are eligible. Both groups receive conventional oral health education in well-baby clinics during regular well-baby clinic visits between the ages of 6 to 48 months. After concealed random allocation of interventions, the intervention group also receives the Toddler Oral Health Intervention from an oral health coach. The Toddler Oral Health Intervention combines behavioral interventions of proven effectiveness in caries prevention. Data are collected at baseline, at 24 months, and at 48 months. The primary study endpoint is cumulative caries incidence for children aged 48 months, and will be analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle. For children aged 48 months, the balance between costs and effects of the Toddler Oral Health Intervention will be evaluated, and for children aged 24 months, the effects of the Toddler Oral Health Intervention on behavioral determinants, alongside cumulative caries incidence, will be compared.ResultsThe first parent-child dyads were enrolled in June 2017, and recruitment was finished in June 2019. We enrolled 402 parent-child dyads.ConclusionsAll follow-up interventions and data collection will be completed by the end of 2022, and the trial results are expected soon thereafter. Results will be shared at international conferences and via peer-reviewed publication.Trial RegistrationNetherlands Trial Register NL8737; https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NL8737International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/39683

Cost‐effectiveness of probiotics and fluoride varnish in caries prevention in preschool children

AbstractObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of two preventive interventions aimed at increasing the proportion of caries‐free preschool children of low socioeconomic status using a decision analytic model.MethodsTwo scenarios were tested, one with a school milk program (SMP) and one without (non‐SMP). Fluoride varnish (FV) and a probiotic (PB) were compared to a do‐nothing alternative among children in public nurseries/schools over a 4‐year period. FV was applied biannually and a PB (Lactobacillus rhamnosus) added to milk powder prepared daily. A Markov decision tree model was utilized. Several sources of data were used to populate the model. Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses were performed, and a public provider perspective was used.ResultsIn the SMP scenario, PB was more effective and less costly than FV and, compared with do‐nothing, increased the proportion of caries‐free children by 14.5%, with a cost of USD 12.5 per child (June 2018). PB presented an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) or cost per extra caries‐free child of USD 86.2. In the non‐SMP scenario, both interventions were cost‐effective. FV (compared with do‐nothing) increased the percentage of caries‐free children by 8.3% with an ICER of USD 338.3 and PB (compared with FV) increased the effect by 6.2% with an ICER of USD 1400.2.ConclusionsThe findings showed that PB was most effective and less costly than FV in the SMP scenario only. This type of analysis and its results provide essential information for decision‐makers to improve the oral health of preschool children.

Caregivers and oral health of preschool children: the importance of knowledge on oral health in caregivers at community homes

ABSTRACT Community parents as caregivers of preschoolers are a crucial factor in promoting general and oral health habits. The objective of this study was to determine the oral health knowledge of community parents working as caregivers in family welfare homes and explore their relationship with the oral health of preschoolers under their care. A non-experimental (cross-sectional) study was conducted, which analyzed the 2009–2012 Valle del Cauca’s oral health database. This database contains a survey of 250 community mothers from 40 municipalities who cared for 7221 preschoolers. A total of 982 clinical records of preschoolers were analyzed. The average age of the mothers was 41.4 years (± 10); 18% had university training. The average age of preschoolers who had been clinically evaluated was 3.5 (± 0.6); 52% were affiliated to the contributory and special Colombian social security regime, and 36.6% were poor populations affiliated to the subsidized regime. Assessment of the oral-health-related knowledge of caregivers revealed that 22.8% had good oral health knowledge. 18.4% reported consumption patterns related to a high-risk cariogenic diet. The prevalence of decay in preschoolers was 45.6%. This study found that children had better oral health conditions in community homes where caregivers presented better oral health knowledge. This reinforces the hypothesis that the greater the knowledge from caregivers on the topic, the lower the prevalence of pathologies such as caries and gingivitis in preschoolers under their care.

Pre-schoolers\u2019 tooth brushing behaviour and association with their oral health: a cross sectional study

BackgroundToothbrushing is an important yet neglected behaviour that affects the oral health of preschool children. Little is reported on parental supervision, an essential aspect of routine effective toothbrushing in this age group. The aim of this study was to evaluate pre-schoolers’ toothbrushing behaviour including parental involvement and its association with their oral health.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. A total of 92 preschool children (4–6 years) were invited to participate with their parents/guardians. Nine parameters of toothbrushing behaviour were assessed from parental responses (questionnaire) and observation of child and parents/guardians (video recording). Oral examination included recording plaque, gingival and dental caries indices. BORIS software was used to assess toothbrushing parameters and Smart PLS was used to perform association with a second-generation multivariate analysis to create models with and without confounding factors.ResultsGirls were slightly more (53%) than boys (47%). Children aged 4 years were slightly more in number (38%), followed by 6-year-olds and 5-year-olds. Nearly, 90% parents had tertiary education and 46% had more than 2 children. Differences were recorded in the reported and observed behaviour. Thirty-five percent parents/guardians reported using pea-size toothpaste amount but only 28% were observed. Forty percent reported to brush for 30 s–1 min, however 51% were observed to brush for 1–2 min. Half the children were observed to use fluoridated toothpaste (F < 1000 ppm) under parental supervision (11%). The mean (SD) plaque score reduction after toothbrushing was 10.80 (2.46), mean pre-brushing plaque score was 90.3 (10.2), mean gingival index was 0.89 (0.65) and mean dental caries status (ICDAS(1–6)) was 18.87 (12.39). Toothbrushing behaviour in terms of toothbrushing technique, duration, pattern and frequency, toothbrush type and grip type, toothpaste type and amount, post-brushing mouth rinsing and parental involvement contributed significantly to plaque score change (86%), dental caries status (73%), gingival index (66%) and pre-brushing plaque score (31%). The significant confounding variables had a small influence on oral health of preschool children.ConclusionsPreschool children’s toothbrushing behaviour was inadequate while their oral health was poor, with a significant association between the two parameters.

Social practice theory: An innovative approach to considering preschool children's poor oral health.

Oral disease in early childhood is highly prevalent and costly and impacts on the child and family with significant societal costs. Current approaches have largely failed to improve young children's oral health. This paper proposes a different approach to conceptualize poor oral health in preschool children (0-5years) using social practices. Social practice theory offers an innovative perspective to understanding oral health by shifting emphasis away from the individual and onto how practical, social and material arrangements around the oral health of preschool children exist, change or become embedded in the social structures they inhabit. This novel approach contributes to the growing theoretical understanding in this area and has the potential to offer insights into the problem and ways it might be addressed.

Salivary microbial community alterations due to probiotic yogurt in preschool children with healthy deciduous teeth.

Probiotics are considered valuable to human health since they improve intestinal microbial balance. Probiotics are orally taken and affect the oral microbiota, which is one of the most important parts of the human microbial community. However, there is little information on the effects of probiotics on the oral microbiota. Caries-free preschool children (N = 6) with complete deciduous dentition were enrolled and given 100g probiotic yogurt daily for 1year. Salivary samples were collected every 6months and then sequenced by Illumina MiSeq system based on 16S rDNA V3-V4 hypervariable regions. The data were analyzed to obtain the changes in microbiota profiles before and after the probiotic yogurt consumption. The α diversity analysis showed that salivary microbial diversity and richness were similar between the groups. The β diversity analysis showed that salivary microbial community structure changed with the consumption of probiotic yogurt. The variation of the microbial community composition was mainly due to 9 genera; for 7 genera (Campylobacter, Haemophilus, Lautropia, Bacillus, Catonella, Lactococcus, and Solibacillus) increased, while 2 genera (Gemella, and Streptococcus) decreased. The variation of salivary microbiota structure and composition with the consumption of probiotic yogurt was revealed. This expands overall insights on the effects of probiotic products on oral microecology. It further provides a basis for predicting possible relations between probiotic interventions and oral health in preschool children.

Timing of sugar introduction in diet and early childhood caries: a population-based study in preschoolers

Abstract Introduction Sugar ingestion is the most important isolated factor related to dental caries. Contact with sugary foods at an early age may represent a risk to the oral health of preschool children. Objective To evaluate the timing of the introduction of sugar in the diet of preschoolers and its association with early childhood caries. Material and method Cross-sectional population-based study with 888 five-year-old preschoolers from public and private schools. Parents answered a questionnaire on sociodemographic data, eating habits and oral health. The variables timing of sugar introduction (&gt;1 year and ≤1 year) and dental caries experience were dichotomized and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Poisson regression (p&lt;0.05). Result The introduction of sugar in the diet occurred during the first twelve months of life for 73.8% of preschoolers. There was no association between the timing of sugar introduction and early childhood caries (p&gt;0.05). The interruption of exclusive breastfeeding and low family income increased the prevalence of preschoolers having early contact with sugar by 32% and 23%, respectively (p&lt;0.05). The prevalence of early childhood caries was 42.3% and was associated with a lower level of maternal education, low income, increased frequency of ingestion of candy and the use of nonfluoridated toothpaste (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion The introduction of sugar in the diet occurred during the first year of life in most preschoolers and there was no association with early childhood caries.

Effect of educational status on oral health education program amongst Anganwadi workers in improving oral health of preschool children of Muradnagar block, Ghaziabad-A cross-sectional study

Aim: To study effect of educational status of Anganwadi Workers on oral health education program and its impact on improving oral health of preschool children in Muradnagar block, Ghaziabad. Materials and Methods: Study was done amongst 30 Anganwadi Centres of Muradnagar selected by simple random sampling. Sample size was calculated to be 503. Anganwadi Workers were divided into four groups depending on their educational status. Pre tested questionnaire was used to assess baseline knowledge of Anganwadi workers on oral health. Oral health education was imparted to them. Clinical examination of preschool children attending Anganwadi centres was done at baseline and after oral health education program. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 18. Results: Mean values of knowledge scores were found to be higher in Anganwadi workers (36.7) with high educational status leading to higher improvement (76%) in oral health status of preschool children. Conclusion: Educational Status of Anganwadi Workers has a significant impact on their oral health knowledge and efficiency of improving oral health status of preschool children. Keywords: Educational status, Anganwadi workers, Pre school children.

A Kindergarten-Based Oral Health Preventive Approach for Hong Kong Preschool Children.

Early childhood caries (ECC) remains the single most common chronic childhood disease. Untreated caries can cause tooth loss and compromised dentition. Severe ECC can also influence nutrition intake, cognitive development, general health and quality of life. In Hong Kong, approximately half of 5-year-old children suffer from ECC, and more than 90% of these caries remain untreated. Thus, the development of effective strategies for promoting the oral health of preschool children is warranted. The Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong has provided kindergarten-based dental outreach services to selected kindergartens since 2008. In 2020, the project expanded to serve all kindergarten children in Hong Kong. The aim of the service is to improve oral health through the prevention and control of ECC among preschool children. The service provides dental screening and silver diamine fluoride treatment for ECC management. In addition, the parents receive oral health talks, and teachers receive training in delivering regular oral health education at kindergarten. The objectives of this service are to improve oral and general health of preschool children, develop the children’s good oral health-related behaviours, maintain the children’s psychological well-being and reduce the burden on their family. This paper describes this kindergarten-based dental outreach service.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of primary health care providers towards oral health of preschool children in Qatar.

SummaryObjectiveHealth care providers can effectively participate in oral health promotion for children in primary care setting. Currently, there are no oral health promotion programs that involve primary health care professionals in Qatar. Hence, this study was undertaken to examine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of all health professionals who work in the Well baby Clinics in the primary health centers.MethodA 23-item questionnaire was distributed across 20 primary health centers. The questionnaire sought information on the demographic data of health professionals, their knowledge of oral health and their practices and attitudes towards critical oral health issues. Data were examined by Pearson Chi-squared tests or Fisher’s Exact test (p = 0.05).ResultsThe response rate of the health professionals was 67%. Only 35.7% of the 225 participants received some form of oral health training during their undergraduate programme. The participants would assess the dental problem of the child (p = 0.05) and discuss the importance of tooth brushing with the mother (p = 0.03). A significant number of respondents (p = 0.04) were unlikely to assess the children’s fluoride intake. There was a significant difference in the group of participants that would examine the child’s teeth (p = 0.1) and counsel the mothers on prevention of dental problems (p = 0.01). This group would also refer children to dentist at 12 months of age (p = 0.05).ConclusionsHealth professionals had a positive attitude towards the anticipatory guidance elements of oral health. However, the knowledge of healthcare professionals on childhood oral health is rather limited.