Infant Oral Health Education for Pediatric and Family Practice Residents

Resident’s Name: Dan Boboia Date: 10/31/08
Article title: Infant Oral Health Education for Pediatric and Family Practice Residents
Author(s): Douglass, J.M., Douglass, A., Silk, H.J.
Journal: Pediatric Dentistry
Volume (number): 27
Month, Year: 2005
Major topic: Investigate whether an infant oral health curriculum in a pediatric and family medicine residency program could improve physician’s oral health knowledge and practice behaviors (promoting the age 1 dental visit)
Minor topics:
Type of Article: Survey
Main Purpose: Investigate whether an infant oral health curriculum in a pediatric and family medicine residency program could improve physician’s oral health knowledge and practice behaviors (promoting the age 1 dental visit)
Overview of method of research:
Connecticut family medicine and pediatric residents participated in the program
Well visit childcare forms were reviewed for the presence of oral health prompts and updated with standardized prompts to reinforce daily practice of the learned skills
Baseline survey was completed examining practice behaviors and knowledge tests
Received a 1 hour oral health training seminar covering infant oral health and age of dental referral, with an emphasis on Early Childhood Caries prevalence, etiology, and prevention
Received an second hour on a series of case-based learning exercises focused on ECC and correct fluoride prescribing
Findings:
At baseline a majority of providers referred children when they were healthy rather the waiting until a problem developed
Only 28% referred children by the first birthday
About 75% referred at the third birthday
1/3 of those who referred 0 to 2 year-olds encountered problems finding a provider
1/3 encountered problems finding providers for their medicaid patients
Majority assumed well water did not contain fluoride and prescribed empirically or did not prescribe supplements
Many thought all public water contained fluoride
28% of those who knew well water fluoride was variable prescribed fluoride without testing; this fell to 16% by follow-up
Scores on knowledge test significantly improved from baseline to post-test
< 50% of participants understood the maternal origin of mutans streptococci; with fewer having knowledge of correct examination and brushing technique
Conclusions
Physicians’ knowledge and practice behaviors regarding infant oral health are not optimal prior to additional education
Well childcare forms contain limited oral health prompts, which are often inaccurate
Implementation of multimodal infant oral health education program for pediatric and family medicine residents can improve physician’s oral health knowledge and promotion of the age 1 dental visit
Positive physician behavior changes: more frequent 1-year dental referrals, increased advice concerning dental nutrition, increased knowledge about well water and fluoride
Physician gains in knowledge and practice behaviors regarding fluoride prescribing were modest and further work in this area is needed
Web-based training had favorable outcomes when compared to in-person training
Assessment of article
Good Article, surprised by some of the results