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Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
The Dental Neglect Scale in adolescents
Trilby Coolidge1, Masahiro Heima, Elissa K Johnson
1Dental Public Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle WA, USA. tcoolidg@u.washington.edu
BMC Oral Health
|January 7, 2009
Summary
The Dental Neglect Scale (DNS) effectively identifies adolescents with poor oral health and lack of dental visits. Higher DNS scores correlate with visible caries, infrequent check-ups, and no regular dentist, validating its use in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Oral health research
- Adolescent health
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Dental neglect is linked to poor oral health and infrequent dental care in children and adults.
- The Dental Neglect Scale (DNS) is a validated measure for children and adults, potentially applicable to adolescents.
- This study investigates the DNS's utility in adolescents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the validity of the Dental Neglect Scale (DNS) in a sample of adolescents.
- To examine the relationship between DNS scores and adolescent oral health status, including routine check-ups and regular dental care.
- To evaluate the reliability and factor structure of the DNS in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Administered the DNS to 117 adolescents from youth groups.
- Collected data on regular dental visits, recent check-ups (past three years), and oral health status via dental screening.
- Assessed test-retest reliability (n=66) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha).
- Conducted exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation.
Main Results:
- Adolescents with visible caries, no recent check-ups, or no regular dentist had significantly higher DNS scores (p < 0.05).
- The DNS demonstrated high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.81) and acceptable internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.60).
- Factor analysis identified two factors: home care and visiting a dentist.
Conclusions:
- The Dental Neglect Scale (DNS) functions similarly in adolescents as in children and adults.
- The DNS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing dental neglect in adolescents.
- Findings support the use of the DNS to identify adolescents at risk for poor oral health outcomes.
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