Obtaining informed consent for children receiving dental care: a pilot study

To explore the outcome of the consent process with parents/carers of children of different ethnic minority backgrounds in a primary care salaried dental service setting.

One hundred parents of children were recruited to the study. The sample was balanced by ethnicity (White and Pakistani) and type of care (routine and general anaesthesia [GA]). Subjects were interviewed using a questionnaire enquiring about the various aspects of the consent process.

For routine care, 53% of parents were unaware of the type of pain relief to be used. The majority (78%) knew of the benefits of treatment but few (7%) were aware of risks or alternative treatment options (5%). Significantly more White parents were able to recall the treatment their child was to receive compared with Pakistani parents (P <0.01). With respect to GA, there were no significant differences according to ethnicity. Most parents (95%) could recall risks of treatment and 72% of parents could report benefits; however, only 20% could recall discussion of alternative treatment options.

For procedures involving GA, consent is more likely to be informed. For routine care, a more structured approach is required and Pakistani parents in particular need more support. A third of all parents (routine and GA group) felt that they had not been involved in the final treatment decision.