title: [Knowledge of Andalusian pediatricians and parents about early-onset tooth decay].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the level of knowledge of pediatricians and parents from Andalucía (southern Spain) about early-onset tooth decay, and to assess if pediatricians provide information to parents about pediatric oral care and visits to the pediatric dentist.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 113 pediatricians and 112 parents with children under 3 years of age received an anonymous questionnaire comprising 14 items for pediatricians and 16 items for parents, grouped into five blocks: visits to the dentist, oral hygiene, caries, nutritional habits, and treatment of caries. The chi-squared test was used to assess differences between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pediatricians showed deficiencies in their knowledge about visits to the dentist and treatment of caries, however their level of knowledge on oral hygiene, tooth decay and nutritional habits were adequate. Parents showed a low level of knowledge in all aspects of the study, mainly about the treatment of tooth decay. There were no significant differences between pediatricians and parents in the knowledge about visits to the dentist, however pediatricians had more knowledge than the parents about hygiene, tooth decay, nutritional habits and treatment (P<0.001). Most of the parents indicated that pediatricians did not provide them detailed information on oral care, and about the possibility of visiting a pediatric dentist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Andalusian pediatricians should improve their knowledge about early-onset tooth decay, and provide more information to parents about the oral care and the possibility of visiting a pediatric dentist. Parents have a very low level of knowledge about early-onset tooth decay, and particularly about treatment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estomatología, Área de Odontopediatría, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España. Electronic address: egonzale@ugr.es.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estomatología, Área de Odontopediatría, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pérez-Hinojosa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estomatología, Área de Odontopediatría, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alarcón
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estomatología, Área de Odontopediatría, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Peñalver
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010290:Parents; D010372:Pediatrics; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Caries de aparición temprana; Children; Cuestionario; Early-onset decay; Niños; Odontopediatras; Padres; Parents; Pediatras; Pediatric dentist; Pediatricians; Questionnaire