title: Factors affecting children's adherence to regular dental attendance: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parents' adherence to regular dental attendance for their young children plays an important role in improving and maintaining children's oral health. The authors conducted a systematic review to determine the factors that influence parental adherence to regular dental attendance for their children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors searched nine electronic databases to May 2013. They included quantitative and qualitative studies in which researchers examined factors influencing dental attendance in children 12 years or younger. The authors considered all emergency and nonemergency visits. They appraised methodological quality through the Health Evidence Bulletins Wales methodological quality assessment tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors selected 14 studies for the systematic review. Researchers in these studies reported a variety of factors at the patient, provider and system levels that influenced dental attendance. Factors identified at the patient level included parents' education, socioeconomic status, behavioral beliefs, perceived power and subjective norms. At the provider level, the authors identified communication and professional skills. At the system level, the authors identified collaborations between communities and health care professionals, as well as a formal policy of referring patients from family physicians and pediatricians to dentists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Barriers to and facilitators of parents' adherence to regular dental attendance for their children should be identified and considered when formulating health promotion policies. Further research is needed to investigate psychosocial determinants of children's adherence to regular dental visits.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Badri is a graduate student, Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Badri
authors.affiliation: Dr. Saltaji is a doctoral candidate and a graduate student, Orthodontic Graduate Program, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Humam
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saltaji
authors.affiliation: Dr. Flores-Mir is an associate professor and head, Division of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flores-Mir
authors.affiliation: Dr. Amin is an associate professor and head, Division of Pediatrics, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, 5513-476 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Ave. N.W., 5th Floor, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 1C9, e-mail maryam.amin@ualberta.ca. Address correspondence to Dr. Amin.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents; D010349:Patient Compliance
keywords: Dental care for children; dental care utilization; pediatric dentistry; preventive dentistry