Parental attitudes and perceptions affecting children's dental behaviour in Greek population. A clinical study

Abstract

Aim: This was to investigate the relationship of children's behaviour during dental treatment to parental dental attitudes and perceptions in a definitive population of Greek children in Athens.

Methods: 88 children aged 3-11 years and their parents, attending the Community Dental Centre for Children in Athens, participated. A questionnaire including demographic information, questions regarding parents' dental experience and anxiety (M-DAS test), as well as questions regarding expectant behaviour of each child and his/her dental anxiety level (parental version of the CFSS -Dental Subscale), was completed by the parents during the first examination appointment. During the two following operative sessions each child's behaviour was recorded and evaluated using the Frankl Scale. Collected data were statistically analyzed using a SPSS statistical program.

Results: No significant difference was found between a child's actual behaviour and gender, nationality, frequency of parent's dental visits, parental dental fear (M-DAS) and previous medical experience of the child (p>0.001). In contrast, age (p=0.005), previous child's dental fear (p=0.081), previous child's dental behaviour (p<0.0001), predicted by the parent behaviour (p<0.0001) and parental version of CFSS-DS (p<0.001), revealed statistically significant associations to child's behaviour during treatment.

Conclusion: According to the present study in Greek children, children's behaviour during dental treatment is related to age, previous dental fear and experience and behaviour prediction by the parents. Parents' estimations regarding their children's fear and behaviour could be a useful predictor of child's level of cooperation during dental treatment.