Behavior of Lebanese Pediatricians regarding Children's Oral Health.

AIM

The aim of the study is to evaluate the behavior of Lebanese pediatricians regarding children's oral health.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross sectional study including 100 Lebanese pediatricians was performed. They answered 11 questions. Three variables were taken into consideration: The number of years in practice, the place and the type of practice.

RESULTS

The answers were tabulated according to the latter three subdivisions. 97.7% of pediatricians who have been practicing for more than 5years reported inquiring about whether a child is taking a milk/juice bottle overnight as compared to 76.9% of pediatricians who have been practicing for less than five years. The majority of pediatricians working in cities/big villages (98.9%) and 76.9% in small villages do look for cavities during oral examination.

DISCUSSION

Independently of the years in practice, the majority of pediatricians look for cavities and check the mucosa/ tongue during the oral examination. The results regarding dental examination revealed a significant difference between the pediatricians working in cities/big villages (98.9%) and those in small villages (76.9%). Regarding the frequent diagnosis of ECC, there is also a significant difference between pediatricians working in cities/ big villages (74.7%) and those working in small villages (46.2%).

CONCLUSION

The behavior of the Lebanese pediatricians regarding children's oral health is not satisfactory. In their daily practice, pediatricians need to have more interaction with pediatric dentists and should take into consideration the AAP and AAPD recommendations. Noueiri B, Nassif N, Bacho R. Behavior of Lebanese Pediatricians regarding Children's Oral Health. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(4):379-383.