Objective: The aim of this study was to test whether dentists use specific caries prevention agents more commonly in their pediatric patients compared to their adult patients. In addition, we tested for a within-office correlation between the use of caries prevention agents in children and adults.
Methods: This study surveyed 473 Dental Practice-based Research Network (DPBRN; www.DentalPBRN.org) dentists who treat both pediatric and adult patients in their practices. The DPBRN is a consortium of participating practices and dental organizations that comprises five regions: AL/MS: Alabama/Mississippi; FL/GA: Florida/Georgia; MN: dentists employed by HealthPartners and private practitioners in Minnesota; PDA: Permanente Dental Associates in cooperation with Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research; and SK: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Results: The following preventive treatments were recommended more often in child patients within a practice: dental sealants (69% vs 15% in adults), in-office fluorides (82% vs 37% in adults). Non-prescription fluoride rinse (31% vs 27% in adults) and sugarless or xylitol chewing gum (36% vs 32% in adults) were recommended more often to pediatric patients than adults patients. An at-home regimen of chlorhexidine rinse was recommended to significantly more adult patients (17%) than pediatric patients (7%). There was little difference for prescribing some form of at-home fluoride for adult patients (23%) or pediatric patients (22%). Dentists who were high users of caries prevention for children were also high users of caries prevention for adults.
Conclusion: This study suggests that general dentists use specific caries prevention agents more commonly in their pediatric patients, compared to their adult patients. Within single offices, dentists are more likely to use preventive agents in their adult patients if they also use them for their child patients. At-home regimens are equally recommended for adults and pediatric patients. Support: NIDCR-NIH U01-DE 16746 and 16747.