Caregivers’ views on the utility of dental care for primary teeth

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the utility and value of the primary dentition in Hong Kong. In addition, to identify variations in caregivers’ willingness to restore carious primary teeth with respect to socio-demographic factors, knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and other utility values. Methods: An on-line survey was conducted among caregivers of preschool children (convenience sample). Caregivers’ utility and value for their child’s oral health was assessed: willingness to restore decayed teeth, willingness to pay, willingness to brush, willingness to attend dentist. In addition, caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes, child oral health behaviour and demographic information was collected. Variations in caregivers’ willingness to restore carious primary teeth was determined in regression analyses. Results: Ninety-three caregivers participated in our project. Approximately two-thirds (68.8%, 64) claimed they were willing to restore their child’s tooth if it were carious. To safeguard their child’s oral health, approximately a third (34.4%, 32) reported that they were willing to pay more than HK$250 per month. Approximately 1-in-6 (16.2%, 15) reported that they were willing to bring their child 3-or-more times a year to the dentist to safeguard their child’s oral health. Approximately half (47.3%, 44) reported that they were willing to spend more than 3 minutes a day supervising toothbrushing to safeguard their child’s oral health. In regression analyses, caregivers’ willingness to spend on oral health care was the key predictor of willingness to restore a decayed primary tooth. Caregivers who were not willing to spend HK$250 per month to safeguard their child’s oral health were less likely (0.76 times) to claim that they would be willing to restore a carious primary tooth of their child than caregivers who reported being willing to spend more than HK$250 per month to safeguard their child’s oral health (95%CI 0.07, 0.75; p=0.015), accounting for other factors. Conclusion: Our community health project identified values and utilities in relation to the primary dentition in the Hong Kong context. Caregivers’ willingness to spend on oral health care was the key predictor of willingness to restore decayed primary tooth/teeth. These findings have implications in informing our understanding of the perceived value of primary teeth to Hong Kong caregivers and highlights the importance of utility assessments. Furthermore, with further study, our project findings may have implications for oral health policy, oral health promotion and oral health care delivery.