Child Neglect, Dental Caries
Conditions
Brief summary
Early childhood caries (ECC) is a common disease. Its prevalence is highest in poor, socially disadvantaged, and minority groups. Dental treatment under General Anaesthesia (DGA) is common, especially among the youngest patients. Parental adherence to child's post-DGA dental treatment is varying. Non-attendance to preventive care appointments and dental check-ups after the DGA is also common. The primary aim of this study is to explore if a multi-professional (paediatrician and social worker) intervention after the child's DGA can increase the adherence to post-DGA dental care. The secondary aim is to compare its possible influence on children's oral health 18 months after the DGA. Our hypothesis is that multi-professional counselling and support after the DGA will lead to better adherence to the scheduled preventive dental programme and better oral health for these children in the long run.
Detailed description
In an earlier Finnish study 26% of the children did not attend to their first scheduled appointment after the DGA and during a four years follow-up period 63% of the patients had one or more no-shows. Based on the assumption that reducing the amount of no-shows to half of the reported earlier (60% vs. 30%) is a clinically relevant result, we need 42 patients for both groups (alpha 0.05, beta 0.2, power 0.8).
Interventions
OTHERSocial Paediatric Intervention
Family will meet the hospital's social-paediatrician and social worker. Together they will evaluate the need for social support, risk for neglect and refer families for local social services if needed. The visit will contain primary and secondary prophylaxis of child abuse and neglect.
Sponsors
Helsinki University Central Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
No minimum to 5 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* reason for DGA is dental caries * place of birth is Finland * primary dentition
Exclusion criteria
* chronic disease which needs treatment in tertiary hospital
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of uncancelled dental appointments after DGA | 0-18 months after the DGA | Amount of unused or uncancelled dental appointment times after DGA |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of new decayed teeth after DGA | 0-18 months after the DGA | Amount of caries lesions observed after DGA |
Countries
Finland
Outcome results
None listed