Parental Acceptance of Dental Treatment Options for Primary Teeth

Abstract

Introduction: Due to the importance of preserving baby teeth, it is necessary for parents to have correct information about dental services for these teeth, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the acceptance of suggested treatments for baby teeth by parents. Methods: In this descriptive-cross-sectional study, 218 parents of children under 12 years old who were referred to the Pediatric Dentistry Department of Yazd Faculty of Dentistry in 2022 were randomly included in this study. The acceptance rate of dental treatments was asked by a checklist with 7 comprehensive questions and the answers were recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and Chi-square statistical test. Results: Out of 218 parents who participated in this study, 38 (17.4%) were male and 180 (82.6%) were female. The most acceptable treatments by parents were: pulp treatment (98.6%), dental radiographs (97.7%), tooth extraction (97.2%) and stainless-steel crowns (95%). The lowest rate of acceptance was for general anesthesia (23.4 %), fissure sealant (30.7 %) and sedation technique (36.2 %), respectively. Acceptance of fluoride gel and sedation by mothers was significantly higher than fathers (P <0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in terms of the age and gender of the child with the acceptance of treatment by their parents (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, the most and the least acceptable treatments according to parents were pulp therapy and general anesthesia services, respectively. Parents' level of education, monthly income, child's age،, and gender did not have a significant impact on parents' acceptance of treatment.