Background/Purpose Dental caries remains the most common chronic disease of childhood. Community agencies continue to seek strategies that will mitigate the impact of dental caries among indigent populations in their respective communities.
Method A cross-sectional design was utilized in this study. Data from 675 Head Start parents were collected by a community agency and analyzed by a team of university researchers. The questionnaire elicited information about oral health knowledge, oral health behaviors, and barriers to adherence to oral health guidelines.
Analysis/Results Participants inadequately responded to specific categories of items on the Parental Oral Health Knowledge Assessment scale. Findings suggest oral health practitioners should focus educational efforts on dietary behaviors, nighttime bottle feeding, and oral hygiene. Results showed barriers to oral health adherence impact frequency of dental visits. An ANOVA test F (2, 654) = 3.415, p = 0.033) revealed that those who indicated they saw a dentist only when they were in pain (M=1.4978, 95% CI [1.3236, 1.6720]) experienced more total barriers than those who visited a dentist once per year (M=1.2287, 95% CI [1.0882, 1.3691]). Barriers amenable to modification identified in this study included expanded dentist office hours, allowing parents to accompany their children during dental exams, and dentists agreeing to treat children younger than three years old.
Conclusions Public and community health educators have an integral role to play in reducing the risk factors associated with dental caries. Dentists should review policies to reduce barriers and increase access to services.