A cross-sectional survey investigating care of the primary dentition by paediatric dental specialists in Japan and the UK.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare treatment decisions in primary dentistry between Japanese and UK-based paediatric dental specialists.

METHODS

Four clinical scenarios involving a 6-year-old boy were used to ascertain the clinical opinions of participants. The scenarios presented: (i) a single distal cavity, vital and without pain; (ii) a distal occlusal cavity, vital and without pain; (iii) a large distal occlusal cavity, non-vital and without pain, and (iv) a large distal occlusal cavity, non-vital and painful. Participants were 104 Japanese and 115 UK-based paediatric dental specialists.

RESULTS

In the first scenario, some UK specialists showed a preference for vital pulpotomy with a stainless steel crown (10.3% compared with 0.9% in Japan). In the second scenario, Japanese participants were more likely than UK participants to offer traditional restorative care (73.6% vs. 24.1%). In the third scenario, 54.7% of Japanese specialists chose to open the pulp chamber, whereas 51.8% of UK specialists selected non-vital pulpotomy with stainless steel crown. In the final scenario, 74.0% of Japanese specialists chose to open the pulp chamber, whereas 51.8% of UK specialists chose not to offer any treatment other than extraction.

CONCLUSIONS

Japanese and UK specialists in paediatric dental care choose different interventions for the same clinical problems.