Hoyte Trudee, James Akini, Carr Deysha, Teelucksingh Abbinah Donatien Andrew, Mossey Peter
School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of The West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad.
School of Dentistry, University of Dundee, Park Place, Dundee, DD14HN, Scotland.
BDJ Open. 2024 May 1;10(1):33. doi: 10.1038/s41405-024-00216-5.
Attitudes towards and willingness to accept alternatives for sustainable dentistry in Trinidad and Tobago have never been assessed. Market research aids in the understanding of the behaviours of people. Since change can be enacted by public pressure, it is worth engaging the public through research to understand their attitudes and which changes they are willing to accept.
A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to private and public dental clinics. The questionnaire assessed attitude towards and willingness to accept alternatives which decrease the effect of dental treatment on the environment.
The study consisted of 1267 participants. Participants were mostly female, older, employed and mainly of African descent. Participants reported a very positive attitude towards sustainable dentistry (Mean = 3.89, SD = 0.8). and were moderately willing to accept alternatives such as a longer appointment time (Mean 3.47, SD = 0.73) and pay more for their dental treatments (Mean=3.00, SD = 0.87). There was a strong positive correlation with attitudes to sustainable dentistry and participants willingness to accept alternatives such as a longer appointment time (r = 0.658, p < 0.05).
The adult population had an overall positive attitude towards sustainable dentistry and was willing to accept alternatives so that their dental treatment would have less impact on the environment.
特立尼达和多巴哥对可持续牙科的态度以及接受其替代方案的意愿从未得到评估。市场研究有助于了解人们的行为。由于可以通过公众压力来推动变革，因此值得通过研究让公众参与，以了解他们的态度以及他们愿意接受哪些变革。
向私立和公立牙科诊所发放了一份自填式问卷。该问卷评估了对减少牙科治疗对环境影响的替代方案的态度和接受意愿。
该研究包括1267名参与者。参与者大多为女性、年龄较大、有工作，主要是非洲裔。参与者对可持续牙科的态度非常积极（均值 = 3.89，标准差 = 0.8），并且适度愿意接受诸如更长预约时间（均值 = 3.47，标准差 = 0.73）和为牙科治疗支付更多费用（均值 = 3.00，标准差 = 0.87）等替代方案。对可持续牙科的态度与参与者接受更长预约时间等替代方案的意愿之间存在强烈的正相关（r = 0.658，p < 0.05）。
成年人群对可持续牙科总体持积极态度，并愿意接受替代方案，以便他们的牙科治疗对环境的影响更小。
