title: The views and expectations regarding dental care of the parents of children with special dental needs: a survey in the County of Cheshire, England.
abstract: A postal questionnaire of multiple-choice design was sent to 122 parents of children with special dental needs in the county of Cheshire, England, with the aim of determining parents' views and expectations of dental care. Replies were received from 85 (70%). Eighty respondents (94%) were in favour of preventive dental advice being given to their children and 83 (98%) felt that an explanation should be given of the risk to general health posed by dental disease or its treatment. A high proportion of parents felt that simple dietary and oral hygiene advice was necessary, that the benefits of fluoride supplementation should be explained and that free fluoride supplements should be issued. The 'family dentist' was most favoured as the source of advice, closely followed by a community dental officer. Likewise the dental surgery was the most popular location for receiving advice, and doctors' surgeries were the least favoured. Parental support for regular school dental screening examinations of all children was extremely high and parents thought that special-needs children should be examined more frequently.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Dental Health, Chester and Halton Community NHS Trust, Chester, England.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Arch
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jenner
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Whittle
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011313:Preventive Dentistry / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires