Conceptual modeling of child temperament, emotional and behavioral problems, and parenting style in relation to children's oral health and dental visit behavior.

This study investigated the impact of child temperament, emotional and behavioral problems, and parenting style on children’s oral health and dental visit behavior using path analysis. The cross-sectional study included 167 preschool children aged 3–6 years and their parents. Sociodemographic data were collected, and various oral health indicators, including decayed, missing and filled teeth dmft; International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS-II) scores; plaque index (PI); gingival index (GI) and dental visit behavior were assessed. In addition, the Temperament Scale for Children (TSC), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) were administered to families. A conceptual model was developed to examine the influence of both dependent variables (TSC, SDQ, children’s oral health, and dental visit behavior) and independent factors (child’s gender, PSDQ, and parental age and gender). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The total, direct, and indirect effects among the model variables were analyzed. The results showed that, the total and direct effects of gender on total SDQ scores were 0.252 and 0.254, respectively, suggesting that girls had significantly lower total SDQ scores than boys (p = 0.001). In addition, the total effect of PSDQ on TSC was 0.445 for both total and direct effects, indicating a positive association (p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed in the other total, direct, or indirect effects (p > 0.05). While path diagrams provide a detailed visualization of their relationships, our study found no significant association between oral health, dental visit behavior, and the other variables. It is important to note that statistical results may not fully reflect clinical outcomes. Moreover, such effects may vary depending on model specifications and outcome measures, particularly in pediatric dentistry, where both child temperament and family dynamics directly affect a child’s oral health and cooperation.