Knowledge and attitude regarding preventive and minimally invasive caries treatments: a cross-sectional survey among Dutch dental professionals.

INTRODUCTION

The Dutch guideline "Oral care for children: prevention and treatment of caries" describes how to prevent, stabilise, or treat caries lesions using minimally invasive methods in children. The objectives of the present study were to 1) evaluate to what extent oral healthcare professionals (OHCPs) in the Netherlands apply preventive and minimally invasive caries management according to the guideline, 2) evaluate their attitudes towards these treatments, and 3) assess differences between OHCPs in general oral health practice and paediatric dentistry.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional survey study, OHCPs completed questions on guideline knowledge, and practice regarding primary (5 items), secondary and tertiary (9 items) caries prevention was asked using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never, 5 = always). Attitude towards minimally invasive caries treatments was evaluated as sum score over six statements (range 6 [negative] to 30 [positive]).

RESULTS

Amongst 187 participants (36.7% paediatric dentists; 79.1% female), 134 (71.7%) OHCPs reported being familiar with the guideline content. OHCPs working in paediatric dentistry applied statistically significantly more primary and (partially) secondary and tertiary prevention than OHCPs in general oral health practice. Median score of attitude towards minimally invasive caries treatments was neutral at 17.2 (SD = 2.6).

CONCLUSION

The majority of OHCPs in the present study reported being familiar with the guideline. However there is room for improvement in its implementation in practice. OHCPs working in paediatric dentistry reported greater familiarity with the guideline. Generally, OHCPs had a neutral attitude towards preventive caries management.