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

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic characteristics of participants

	n (%)
Parent sex
Male	86 (28.4)
Female	217 (71.6)
Parent age (years)
18–20	8 (2.6)
20–29	96 (31.3)
30–39	162 (52.8)
≥40	41 (13.3)
Employment status
Not working	80 (26.3)
Working part-time	30 (9.9)
Working full-time	191 (62.8)
Student	2 (0.7)
Number of children
1	80 (26.1)
2	106 (34.6)
3	65 (21.2)
4	25 (8.2)
5	23 (7.5)
>5	7 (2.3)
Location
Doha (capital)	214 (70.2)
Al Wakra (city in the south)	18 (5.9)
Al Khor (city in the north)	2 (0.7)
Rayyan (suburb of Doha)	38 (12.5)
Other (rural)	33 (10.8)
Level of education
Less than high school	17 (5.6)
High school	32 (10.6)
College	137 (45.5)
Higher than college	102 (33.9)
Siblings with dental carries, n
0	108 (37.6)
1	79 (27.5)
2	79 (27.5)
3	13 (4.5)
4	6 (2.1)
5	1 (0.3)
6	1 (0.3)
Dental insurance coverage
Do not know	52 (17)
Yes	88 (28.9)
No	163 (53.4)

Table 2 Knowledge and awareness of dental health

Questions 11–16	Yes, n (%)	No, n (%)	Do not know n (%)
Do you think that sweets can affect dental health?	295 (95.5%)	2 (0.6%)	7 (2.3%)
Do you think that soft drink can affect dental health?	290 (93.9%)	10 (3.2%)	5 (1.6%)
Do you think that mouth health and dentition affect body health?	280 (90.6%)	12 (3.9%)	11 (3.6%)
Treatment of tooth problems is as important as that for any organ in the body	292 (94.5%)	5 (1.6%)	5 (1.6%)
Does your child have a primary pediatrician?	138 (44.7%)	165 (53.4%)	3 (1.0%)
Does your child have a primary dentist?	58 (18.8%)	242 (78.3%)	4 (1.3%)

Table 3 The reasons for not having visited a dentist

	n	%
No insurance	17	5.5
Expensive	33	10.7
Health-card problem	2	0.6
Length of time to appointment	47	12
Health plan not accepted	2	0.6
Dental health center far away	6	1.9
Do not know where the dental center is	8	2.6
Child does not want to go	8	2.6
Deciduous teeth do not need care	19	6.1
Dentist does not know how to deal with children	6	1.9
Inexperienced dentist	3	1.0
Scared of anesthesia	1	0.3
Other	53	17.2
Most of the above	18	5.8