How patient and carer expectations of orthodontic treatment vary with ethnicity

To investigate if the orthodontic treatment expectations of Black British children and their primary carers vary compared with White British children and their primary carers.

A hospital orthodontic department (Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, London, UK).

Patients and their accompanying primary carers who had not received fixed orthodontic appliance treatment and were aged between 12 and 14 years old.

Informed consent was obtained from 100 patients and their primary carers, who completed a psychometrically validated questionnaire, to measure their expectations before a new patient orthodontic consultation. This cohort consisted of 50 Black British patients and their primary carers and 50 White British patients and their primary carers.

Mean responses from patients and their primary carers for each ethnic group were compared using the independent groups t-test. Significant statistical differences were found between the two ethnic groups. The greatest statistical differences occurred between Black British patients and their primary carer and Black British primary carers and White British primary carers. Patients tended to have similar orthodontic expectations. There were no statistical significant differences in expectations between White British children and their primary carers.

Differences in expectations of orthodontic treatment were more common between Black British and White British primary carers, than their children. White British primary carers had higher expectations at their child's initial appointment and expected dental extractions to be part of the orthodontic treatment plan. These differences have some implications for the provision of orthodontic care. A clinicians understanding of patients and their primary carer's expectations at the start of treatment can help in the quality and delivery of orthodontic care provided.