Why parents prefer university clinic for pedodontic treatment? Effect of caries/orthodontic treatment/trauma, education and media: A cross-sectional study

The aim of this study is to determine why parents prefer university clinics for pedodontic treatment, as well as describe caries, orthodontic treatment, trauma, education, and the media effect. A five-item, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional interview study was administered face-to-face to a nationally representative sample in Turkey in 2013 by the Gazi University, Department of Pediatric Dentistry. The researchers recorded the parents′ educational status, reasons for referral, and the children′s age and sex. A Chi-square test was used for the categorical variables. The continuous variables were compared using a Mann-Whitney U-test and a Kruskal-Wallis test in 90% confidence interval of ΁3%. A total of 572 patients and their parents agreed to participate in this study. Question 1: Statistically significant difference was found between parents educational status. Question 2: Increased education status led to increased confidence in academic facilities (P < 0.05). Question 3: Just for over the 16 years education status has found significantly a low concern (P < 0.05). Question 4: Only for over the 16 years education status was found significant information via media sources (P < 0.05). Question 5: 56.6% said dentists should provide more information. Media sources are gaining importance and status for educating the public information source in pedodontic treatment. The increasing status of education showed a significant difference for confidence in academic facilities.