Background. Parental perspectives of children with early childhood caries may help inform the development and improvement of caries prevention strategies. Objectives. This study aimed to explore parents’ experiences, perceptions, and expectations regarding prevention and management of early childhood caries. Methods. The authors conducted semistructured interviews with 25 parents of children aged 2 to 5 years, with a known history of caries. All interviews were transcribed and coded, and iterative analyses were conducted to identify key emergent themes within the data. Results. Parents had limited knowledge of behaviors contributing to early childhood caries and when to first seek regular dental care. Parents expected pediatricians to provide education on how to prevent childhood caries, conduct preliminary oral health assessments, and help establish early linkages between medical and dental care. Conclusion. The findings make a strong case for pediatricians to take responsibility for engaging and educating parents on fostering optimal oral health and helping to access early childhood dental care.
CarmonaRH. National call to action to promote oral health. J Am Coll Dent. 2005;72(4):8-10.
2.
DyeBATanSSmithV. Trends in oral health status: United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2004. Vital Health Stat 11. 2007;(248):1-92.
3.
FeatherstoneJD. The science and practice of caries prevention. J Am Dent Assoc. 2000;131:887-899.
4.
SeowWKCliffordHBattistuttaDMorawskaAHolcombeT. Case-control study of early childhood caries in Australia. Caries Res. 2009;43:25-35.
5.
BerkowitzR. Etiology of nursing caries: a microbiologic perspective. J Public Health Dent. 1996;56:51-54.
6.
Fisher-OwensSAGanskySAPlattLJ. Influences on children’s oral health: a conceptual model. Pediatrics. 2007;120:e510-e520.
7.
WeinsteinPDomotoPWohlersKKodayM. Mexican-American parents with children at risk for baby bottle tooth decay: pilot study at a migrant farm workers clinic. ASDC J Dent Child. 1992;59:376-383.
8.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Oral health risk assessment timing and establishment of the dental home. AAP Policy Statement. Pediatrics. 2003;111:1113-1116.
9.
FinlaysonTLSiefertKIsmailAIDelvaJSohnW. Reliability and validity of brief measures of oral health-related knowledge, fatalism, and self-efficacy in mothers of African American children. Pediatr Dent. 2005;27:422-428.
10.
VannWFJrLeeJYBakerDDivarisK. Oral health literacy among female caregivers: impact on oral health outcomes in early childhood. J Dent Res. 2010;89:1395-1400.
11.
MillerELeeJYDeWaltDAVannWFJr. Impact of caregiver literacy on children’s oral health outcomes. Pediatrics. 2010;126:107-114.
12.
BartonDH. Clinical outcomes for early childhood caries. J Dent Child (Chic). 2004;71:188.
13.
MurraySAKendallMCarduffE. Use of serial qualitative interviews to understand patients’ evolving experiences and needs. BMJ. 2009;339:b3702.
14.
GiacominiMKCookDJ. Users’ guides to the medical literature: XXIII. Qualitative research in health care B. What are the results and how do they help me care for my patients? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 2000;284:478-482.
15.
WongDPerez-SpiessSJulliardK. Attitudes of Chinese parents toward the oral health of their children with caries: a qualitative study. Pediatr Dent. 2005;27:505-512.
16.
HortonSBarkerJC. Rural Mexican immigrant parents’ interpretation of children’s dental symptoms and decisions to seek treatment. Community Dent Health. 2009;26:216-221.
17.
HiltonIVStephenSBarkerJCWeintraubJA. Cultural factors and children’s oral health care: a qualitative study of carers of young children. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2007;35:429-438.
18.
HoeftKSMastersonEEBarkerJC. Mexican American mothers’ initiation and understanding of home oral hygiene for young children. Pediatr Dent. 2009;31:395-404.
19.
WuACSmithLBokhourBHohmanKHLieuTA. Racial/ethnic variation in parent perceptions of asthma. Ambul Pediatr. 2008;8:89-97.
20.
ButaniYWeintraubJABarkerJC. Oral health-related cultural beliefs for four racial/ethnic groups: assessment of the literature. BMC Oral Health. 2008;8:26.
21.
PanditNR. The creation of theory: a recent application of the grounded theory method. The Qualitative Rep. 1996;2(4):1-20.
22.
CasamassimoPSThikkurissySEdelsteinBLMaioriniE. Beyond the dmft: the human and economic cost of early childhood caries. J Am Dent Assoc. 2009;140:650-657.
23.
SiegalMDYeagerMSDavisAM. Oral health status and access to dental care for Ohio Head Start children. Pediatr Dent. 2004;26:519-525.
24.
TickleMBlinkhornASMilsomKM.The occurrence of dental pain and extractions over a 3-year period in a cohort of children aged 3-6 years. J Public Health Dent. 2008;68:63-69.
25.
ClarkeMLockerDBerallGPencharzPKennyDJJuddP. Malnourishment in a population of young children with severe early childhood caries. Pediatr Dent. 2006;28: 254-259.
26.
MofidiMZeldinLPRozierRG. Oral health of Early Head Start children: a qualitative study of staff, parents, and pregnant women. Am J Public Health. 2009;99:245-251.
27.
LewisCWBoulterSKeelsMA. Oral health and pediatricians: results of a national survey. Acad Pediatr. 2009;9:457-461.
28.
NgMWGlassmanPCrallJ.The impact of Title VII on general and pediatric dental education and training. Acad Med. 2008;83:1039-1048.
29.
MouradianWEReevesAKimS. A new oral health elective for medical students at the University of Washington. Teach Learn Med. 2006;18:336-342.
30.
SilkHO’Grady StilleSBaldorRJosephE. Implementation of STFM’s “Smiles for Life” oral health curriculum in a medical school interclerkship. Fam Med. 2009;41: 487-491. 2009.
31.
GiacominiMKCookDJ. Users’ guides to the medical literature: XXIII. Qualitative research in health care A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 2000;284:357-362.
