Dentists' perceptions of selected characteristics of their child patients.
The purpose of this project was to examine the perceptions of both general and pediatric dentists regarding selected characteristics of the children they treat. A survey including questions on patients' ages, caries activity estimates, and types of patients treated was mailed once to a national random sample of 2,000 general and 1,000 pediatric dentists. The respondents provided a reasonable distribution by age and location, with the majority (69%) in practice more than 10 years. The pediatric dentists who responded perceive that they treat a younger population of child patients with more caries activity (P < 0.001), except in those patients older than 12 years. They also perceive that their patients pools include a larger percentage of patients with handicapping conditions (P < 0.01), behavior problems (P < 0.001) and patients who require treatment with general anesthesia (P < 0.001) than do the general dentists.
Hanes
C M
CM
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta.
Myers
D R
DR
Davis
H C
HC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology