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Teaching parents at WIC clinics to examine their high caries-risk babies
C Lee1, N Rezaiamira, E Jeffcott
1University of Washington, School of Dentistry, Seattle.
Insights
Parents trained with a video and brochure accurately screened their children for early childhood caries, matching dentist assessments in over 80% of cases. This supports training non-dental staff for early detection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Public Health Interventions
- Oral Health Screening
Background:
- Early childhood caries (ECC) is a significant public health concern.
- Timely identification and intervention are crucial for managing ECC.
- Screening by trained non-dental personnel could expand early detection efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy of parent/caretaker screening for early childhood caries after training.
- To compare parent/caretaker assessments with professional dental examinations.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-seven parents/caretakers viewed an educational video and used a brochure for self-instruction.
- Parents/caretakers then examined their children (average age 24.4 months) for signs of caries.
- A trained dental student or dentist independently examined each child and completed a questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Over 80% of parents/caretakers' assessments agreed with the dentists' findings (Kappa = .59, p < .001).
- Professional dental examinations identified caries in 35.1% of the children.
- High agreement indicates parents can be trained for effective screening.
Conclusions:
- Training non-dental personnel, such as parents/caretakers, is a viable strategy for screening early childhood caries.
- This approach can potentially increase early detection rates and facilitate timely referrals.
- Community health programs can leverage trained parents for improved pediatric oral health surveillance.
Abstract:
Seventy-seven parents/caretakers of children, averaging 24.4 months from four WIC clinics in King County, Washington, observed a five-minute video-tape. These parents/caretakers were then asked to examine their own children, using a mirror and a brochure with illustrations of the progression of disease. Following completion of a questionnaire, a trained dental student or dentist examined the child and completed the same questionnaire. Over 80 percent of parents/caretakers responded the same as dentists. Dentists identified disease in 35.1 percent of the sample. Kappa = 59, Z = 4.4, and p < .001. Results support the training of nondental personnel to screen early childhood caries.