Alai-Towfigh Hamideh, Schroth Robert J, Hu Ralph, Lee Victor H K, Olatosi Olubukola
Department of Preventive Dental Science, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Front Oral Health. 2022 Aug 25;3:957205. doi: 10.3389/froh.2022.957205. eCollection 2022.
Early dental visits set children on an upward trajectory, toward a lifetime of optimal oral health. The purpose of this study was to analyze data from a survey of Canadian dentists to determine their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding first dental visits.
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) surveyed general and pediatric dentists regarding the timing of the first dental visit. Demographic and practice information was collected. Analyses included descriptive analyses, bivariate analyses, and multiple logistic regression with forward stepwise selection. Significance was set at ≤ 0.05.
Overall, 3,232 dentists participated. The majority were male (58.5%), general dentists (96.6%), in non-metropolitan areas (50.5%), and practiced for 20.6 ± 12.8 years. The mean age recommended for first visits was 20.4 ± 10.8 months. Only 45.4% of dentists recommended a first visit ≤ 12 months. A majority (59.5%) knew that the correct age recommended for first visits was no later than 12 months. Most dentists who had seen a patient ≤ 12 months before did not typically do so (82.3%). General dentists were 61% less likely to recommend first visits by 12 months (OR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.91). Dentists in Central Canada (OR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.44, 2.32); dentists who typically saw patients ≤ 12 months (OR = 3.41; 95% CI: 2.41, 4.83); those who echoed the importance of visits by 12 months (OR = 19.3; 95% CI: 8.2, 45.71); dentists with staff that encouraged infant/toddler care (OR = 1.76; 95% CI: 1.34, 2.31); and those who knew official North American recommendations for first visits (OR = 5.28; 95% CI: 4.13, 6.76) were all more likely to recommend first visits by 12 months.
A majority of Canadian dentists did not recommend first visits by 12 months of age, despite it being the CDA's official position. Provider characteristics can influence the age that is recommended for first visits. Findings from this study may inform educational campaigns on early childhood oral health targeted toward dentists.
早期看牙能让儿童走上通往一生最佳口腔健康的上升轨道。本研究的目的是分析一项针对加拿大牙医的调查数据，以确定他们关于首次看牙的知识、态度和行为。
加拿大牙科协会（CDA）就首次看牙的时机对普通牙医和儿科牙医进行了调查。收集了人口统计学和执业信息。分析包括描述性分析、双变量分析以及采用向前逐步选择法的多元逻辑回归。显著性设定为≤0.05。
总体而言，有3232名牙医参与。大多数为男性（58.5%）、普通牙医（96.6%），在非都市地区执业（50.5%），执业年限为20.6±12.8年。建议首次看牙的平均年龄为20.4±10.8个月。只有45.4%的牙医建议在12个月及以内进行首次看牙。大多数（59.5%）知道首次看牙建议的正确年龄不迟于12个月。大多数在12个月及以内看过患者的牙医通常并非如此（82.3%）。普通牙医在12个月时建议首次看牙的可能性低61%（比值比=0.39；置信区间95%：0.16，0.91）。加拿大中部的牙医（比值比=1.83；置信区间95%：1.44，2.32）；通常在12个月及以内看患者的牙医（比值比=3.41；置信区间95%：2.41，4.83）；那些认同12个月看牙重要性的牙医（比值比=19.3；置信区间95%：8.2，45.71）；有员工鼓励婴幼儿护理的牙医（比值比=1.76；置信区间95%：1.34，2.31）；以及那些知晓北美首次看牙官方建议的牙医（比值比=5.28；置信区间95%：4.13，6.76）都更有可能建议在12个月时首次看牙。
尽管这是CDA的官方立场，但大多数加拿大牙医不建议在12个月时首次看牙。提供者特征会影响建议首次看牙的年龄。本研究结果可为针对牙医的幼儿口腔健康教育活动提供参考。
