Parental attitudes about acquiring a dental home for preschool children: a new concept in the Arab state of Qatar

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of the study was to assess parental perceptions and acceptability of a dental home for their preschool children, a new concept in the state of Qatar.

Methods

A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted at Hamad Medical Corporation, in the state of Qatar. Parents of infants and children <5 years of age were offered an interview survey.

Results

A total of 309 questionnaires were completed (response rate =98%). More than 90% of the participants believed that oral health and dentition affected total-body well-being. Only 18% of parents stated that their children had excellent oral health. Interestingly, more than two-thirds of children had not had a routine dentist visit in the 12 months preceding the interview. Reasons for not having such visits included long appointment times (17.4%), the perception that dental care was expensive (15.5%), the notion that deciduous teeth did not need care (9%), the impression that insurance did not cover dental procedures (8%), unawareness of location of dental centers (4%), the child did not want to go (4%), the notion that children are difficult to handle during a dental procedure (3%), a combination of these factors (33.5%), and other factors (5%). When asked what factors would encourage them to enrol a dental home for their children, almost 20% mentioned speedy appointments followed by dentists specialized in pediatrics (14.3%), child-friendly atmosphere (12%), low cost (12%), close to home (5.7%), none (2.7%), others (2%), and all of the above (32.3%).

Conclusion

Counseling by primary-care physicians can increase dental home acceptability in the state of Qatar, especially that access to health care is easy in our community.

Keywords:

• dental home
• oral health
• Qatar

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Medical Research Center of Hamad Medical Corporation for its support and ethical approval. This study was presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition, held in Chicago, IL, USA, on September 16, 2017; and an abstract of the presentation has been published.⁴⁴

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.