title: Factors associated with paediatric dentists' perception of dental pain in pre-schoolers: a mixed-methods study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children dental pain recognition is pointed as a priority in paediatric dentistry, but little is known about dentists' perception of pre-schoolers' dental pain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To understand paediatric dentists' viewpoint on dental pain (toothache) in pre-schoolers and to identify the associated factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mixed-methods with two phases: (i) preliminary qualitative study (focus group of paediatric dentists), with responses analysed by content analysis and (ii) quantitative survey (self-administered questionnaire answered by 223 paediatric dentists), with the main outcome 'perception' assessed as 'feel or not prepared' to identify a pre-schooler with dental pain. Triangulation was used to discuss the results of each approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (i) Paediatric dentists can observe dental pain in pre-schoolers when there are normative signs; this pain is related to the changes in a child's behaviour and in dental planning. (ii) Participants were 40.1 ± 8.4 years old, 17.1 ± 8.3years since graduation, 65.9% did not feel prepared to identify a pre-schooler with dental pain. This feeling of unpreparedness was associated with younger specialists (P = 0.01) and less time since graduation (P < 0.01). Triangulation showed a convergence of the qualitative and quantitative approaches.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Noticing dental pain in pre-schoolers was associated with specialists' experience and the need for visible signs; dentists do not always feel completely prepared to recognise pain in pre-schoolers.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Graduate Program, Federal University of Goias (UFG), Goiania, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anelise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daher
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Luciane R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014098:Toothache