Involvement of Dentists in Preventing Early Childhood Caries in Germany

Background and Objectives: Early Childhood Caries affect children's quality of life and overall health. This study aimed to assess the involvement of dentists in implementing early preventive measures, including fluoride use, for children aged 6-33 months. Materials and Methods: a multiple-choice questionnaire was distributed in six German states, consisting of two sections: Section I covered participant demographics and Section II included items on dental preventive measures for children. The questionnaire was adapted from a validated German-language source, reviewed by five experts at Kiel University, and tested in a focus group of 30 dentists. Descriptive statistics (mean ± SD or median [IQR]) and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess pediatric dentists (PD) and general dentists (GP) involvement in early dental preventive measures. Results: A total of 511 eligible questionnaires were returned (mean age 47 ± 11 year, 63.8% females, 36.7% PD). Both GP and PD routinely recommended a diagnostic dental visit (1 = never, 5 = always), with PD reporting higher frequency (GP: 4 [3-5], PD: 4.5 [4-5]; p = 0.001). Parental training in oral hygiene was performed significantly more often by PD (p < 0.01). PD also recommended tooth brushing with fluoridated toothpaste after the eruption of the first tooth more frequently than GP (GP: 5 [3-5], PD: 5 [4-5]; p = 0.06). Surprisingly, fluoride-free toothpaste was still recommended by a relevant number of respondents in both groups. Conclusions: PDs showed greater involvement in early caries prevention than GP. While most recommended fluoridated toothpaste, many still advised fluoride-free options, highlighting gaps in guideline adherence.