Behavioral changes after motivational interviewing versus traditional dental health education in parents of children with high caries risk: Results of a 1-year study

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the behavioral change in parents of children at high risk for caries following two dental education interventions - motivational interviewing (MI) and traditional dental health education.

Methods: A total of 100 6- to 10-year-old children, along with their parents, were divided into two groups of 50 each, and a single calibrated examiner gave traditional dental health education to the first group and MI session to the second group. Caries assessment was performed using the International Caries Detection and Assessment system (ICDAS), and 5% sodium fluoride varnish was applied. Behavior of parents was assessed using Prochaskas stages of change model. Change in behavior was checked at 3, 6, and 9 months' intervals till 1 year.

Results: Overall 60% of the parents of the control group reached the final maintenance stage compared to 96% in the experimental group. The mean values obtained for the two groups were 2.26, 3.08, 3.30, 3.84, and 4.28 and 2.30, 3.14, 3.50, 4.44, and 4.96 at the first and subsequent visits, respectively. The ICDAS scores of the two groups were in accordance with these results. The experimental group showed no new caries and arrested initial caries.

Conclusions: This study found that a single MI intervention changed the reported oral health behaviors better than the traditional approach.

Keywords: Behavioral change; International Caries Detection and Assessment system; motivational interviewing; pediatric dentistry; traditional dental health education.