Caries management knowledge.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
General Dental Practitioner knowledge of paediatric caries and behavioural management
IRAS ID
263508
Contact name
James Coxon
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
One of the largest problems currently facing the dental profession is the monumental scale of paediatric dental decay, dealt in the main, by professionals working within primary care. The rates of dental decay are especially high in regions of social deprivation such as Cwm Taf. Cwm Taf has the highest percentage of children living in poverty in Wales with a staggering 50.7% of five year olds having experienced tooth decay. To combat this, several public health campaigns in recent years have targeted paediatric oral health in this region.
When preventative measures fail, however, this results in invasive dental treatment. There has been a shift in recent years to less invasive treatment of dental decay and a greater advocacy of non-pharmacological behavioural management techniques if possible. “Biological” approaches have been developed which aim to halt dental decay by techniques such as Hall crowns, which are less invasive and better tolerated by children. In addition, general dental practitioners have thorough guidelines to aid them in the management of dental decay (for example, the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme Guidelines for treating decay in children).
This project will be used to gather baseline data on the use of these methods and the practitioner’s level of knowledge to techniques to manage paediatric caries. This data can then be utilised to increase the use of ‘biological’ techniques in the treatment of paediatric dental caries, alongside encouraging the use of effective behavioural management methods. This will help provide the best patient experience as possible there by reducing the need for invasive procedures which impact on the immediate and long term health of patients.REC name
N/A
REC reference
N/A