title: Effect of training pediatricians and family physicians in early childhood caries prevention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the effect of postresidency early childhood caries prevention training on physicians' oral health knowledge, confidence, and practice patterns and to identify variations by type of training.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted pre- and post-training surveys of pediatricians and family physicians in Florida. Paired t test and repeated-measures ANOVA analyses were used to compare physicians with no oral health training, those with applied in-office training, and those with another type of training on 5 composite measures: fluoride knowledge, nonfluoride oral health knowledge, confidence in advising parents, confidence in conducting oral health screening and caries risk assessment, and frequency in performing recommended oral health practices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final sample included 229 physicians (162 pediatricians and 67 family physicians). The interaction in the repeated-measures ANOVA between group (training category) and time (pre- and post-training) was significant for the nonfluoride knowledge [F(2, 225) = 4.1, P = .02] and confidence in screening [F(2, 224) = 4.1, P = .02] composite measures, lending support for a positive treatment effect of training on these domains. Greater gains were observed among physicians with in-office training compared with those who received another type of training. A statistically significant treatment effect on oral health practices was not detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts to engage physicians in oral health training and to incorporate applied components in training curricula may improve physicians' oral health knowledge and increase their confidence in conducting oral health screenings and caries risk assessments. Additional research is needed to evaluate the relative costs and benefits of different training modalities on specific oral health practices.
authors: Department of Health Outcomes and Policy and Institute for Child Health Policy, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL; Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida College of Dentistry, Gainesville, FL.
authors: Jill Boylston
authors: JB
authors: Herndon
authors: Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida College of Dentistry, Gainesville, FL.
authors: Scott L
authors: SL
authors: Tomar
authors: Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida College of Dentistry, Gainesville, FL.
authors: Frank A
authors: FA
authors: Catalanotto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies