BACKGROUND

It is unclear on how children with compromised first permanent molars (cFPMs) are currently managed in the UK by either general dental practitioners (GDP) or specialists in paediatric dentistry (SPD).

AIM

Explore the current attitudes to the management of compromised first permanent molars amongst UK general dental practitioners and specialists in paediatric dentistry.

DESIGN

Self-completed online questionnaire including three clinical vignettes of 7, 9, and 15 years old with cFPM. All registered SPDs (n = 236), as of May 2017, 500 randomly selected GDPs from England, selected from a national performers list, and 52 Scottish GDPs, part of Scottish dental practice research network, were invited to complete the questionnaire.

RESULTS

About 71.6% (n = 53) of SPDs agreed that children with cFPM should be referred to a paediatric specialist for treatment planning, whereas the reverse for GDPs is true, as 86.8% (n = 138) believe they have a responsibility to treat these teeth. Responses to clinical vignettes suggest a slight preference amongst GDPs to restore cFPM, including root canal treatment, whereas SPDs have a slight preference towards extraction.

CONCLUSION

Current pathways for cFPM, amongst UK general dental practitioners and specialists in paediatric dentistry, vary greatly between and within each professional group.