Avci Burcin, Kaya Sema
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, 65080, Turkey.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, 65080, Turkey.
BMC Oral Health. 2025 Jul 17;25(1):1191. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-06548-4.
The use of ultrasonography in pediatric dentistry has gained attention due to its safety, diagnostic versatility, and ability to minimize radiation exposure in children. This study aimed to evaluate parents' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding the use of ultrasonographic imaging in pediatric dentistry.
This cross-sectional study included the parents of 347 children aged 1 to 13 years who attended the pediatric dentistry clinic of a public dental school in Van, eastern Turkey. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a 27-item questionnaire covering parents' demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and concerns about ultrasonography. Chi-square and correlation analyses were used to evaluate the relationships between variables.
Parents' knowledge and attitudes varied significantly by educational level and gender. Those with higher education levels demonstrated greater awareness and positive attitudes toward ultrasonography in dentistry. Female parents showed a greater preference than male parents for using ultrasonography in their children's dental treatment. Correlation analyses revealed strong positive associations among knowledge, attitudes, perceived benefits, and health literacy scores (r = 0.764-0.923, p < 0.001).
Although parents generally held positive attitudes toward ultrasonography in pediatric dentistry, their level of knowledge was limited. Educational level and gender significantly influenced parental knowledge and health literacy. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions to support informed participation in dental diagnostics.
超声检查在儿童牙科中的应用因其安全性、诊断多功能性以及能够减少儿童辐射暴露而受到关注。本研究旨在评估家长对儿童牙科中超声成像应用的知识、态度和看法。
这项横断面研究纳入了347名年龄在1至13岁之间、在土耳其东部凡城一所公立牙科学校的儿童牙科诊所就诊的儿童的家长。通过面对面访谈，使用一份包含27个条目的问卷收集数据，该问卷涵盖家长的人口统计学特征、对超声检查的知识、态度和担忧。采用卡方检验和相关性分析来评估变量之间的关系。
家长的知识和态度因教育程度和性别而有显著差异。教育程度较高的家长对牙科超声检查表现出更高的认知度和积极态度。女性家长比男性家长更倾向于在孩子的牙科治疗中使用超声检查。相关性分析显示，知识、态度、感知益处和健康素养得分之间存在强烈的正相关（r = 0.764 - 0.923，p < 0.001）。
尽管家长总体上对儿童牙科中的超声检查持积极态度，但他们的知识水平有限。教育程度和性别显著影响家长的知识和健康素养。这些发现凸显了开展有针对性的教育干预措施以支持明智参与牙科诊断的必要性。
