title: Maryland Physicians' Knowledge, Opinions, and Practices Related to Dental Caries Etiology and Prevention in Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess Maryland physicians' knowledge and understanding of dental caries etiology and prevention, opinions related to prevention effectiveness, and their prevention practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2010, a 30-item, self-administered survey questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 1,472 Maryland family physicians and pediatricians, with 294 surveys being returned and usable, yielding a 20 percent return rate. Statistical analyses in this descriptive study included distributions and cross-tabulations for the survey responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five percent of family physicians and 45 percent of pediatricians indicated they provide caries prevention education to their patients. Approximately half of the physicians reported performing some type of caries risk assessment. Out of 10 dental caries knowledge questions, there was not a single question that the majority of physicians answered correctly with certainty. Nine percent of family physicians and 12 percent of pediatricians reported they provided fluoride varnish treatment to their three- to six-year-old patients at the time of this survey.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study identified specific areas, related to Maryland physicians' dental caries etiology and prevention knowledge, that continuing education and training programs could enhance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Ill., USA. dweath3@uic.edu.
authors.forename: Darien J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Weatherspoon
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Md., USA.
authors.forename: Alice M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Md., USA.
authors.forename: Dushanka V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Kleinman
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008396:Maryland; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires