[Modified CAMBRA questionnaire as a method for population-based caries risk screening without exploratory methods: a...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA) is crucial for diagnosing patient caries risk.
• Children under seven, especially those excluded from public health programs, require accessible risk assessment tools.
• Early identification of caries risk is essential for timely intervention and prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a parent-completed, self-assessment questionnaire based on CAMBRA for children under seven.
• To enable presumptive caries risk diagnosis without a dental examination.
• To facilitate individualized recommendations and early inclusion in preventive programs for at-risk children in Madrid.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational study adhering to STROBE guidelines.
• Utilized a novel self-assessment questionnaire derived from CAMBRA in a nursery school population (3-6 years old) in Madrid.
• Analyzed data using descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test for qualitative variable relationships.

Main Results:

• Parents of 120 children responded (53.1% response rate).
• Results indicated 40.8% low, 42.5% moderate, and 16.7% high a priori caries risk.
• The questionnaire successfully identified varying levels of caries risk within the study population.

Conclusions:

• The modified CAMBRA questionnaire effectively identifies children at risk of developing caries.
• It serves as a valuable screening tool, improving access to preventive care for at-risk and underserved populations.
• Further research is recommended to validate sensitivity and specificity against clinical dental examinations.