Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict Dental Attendance and Caries Experience among Children of Newcomers.

Background

This study aimed to explore the predictors of regular dental attendance behavior and caries experience among children of newcomers to Canada using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).

Methods

A total of 274 newcomer parents with a child aged 1 to 12 years old who had lived in Canada for 10 years or less participated in this cross-sectional study. Children underwent a dental examination to measure their deft/DEFT, and parents completed a self-administered questionnaire. Parental attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention were examined using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) as predictors of dental attendance behavior and caries experience using the TPB model.

Results

Out of all the components of the model, attitude and PBC significantly predicted the intention (p < 0.05) while the subjective norm had no statistical effects on the loading of the model (p > 0.05). Intention significantly predicted behavior, but behavior could not predict caries experience. Although 51.6% of the variance of intention was predicted by this model, only 0.2% of the variance for dental attendance behavior was explained.

Conclusions

The theory of planned behavior was successful in predicting dental attendance intention and behavior for children among newcomers, but this behavior could not predict caries experience in children.