Introduction. The practice of modern pediatric dentistry requires delivery of quality care in combination with adherence to excellent business as well as time management principles. A definite appointment schedule should be presented to the parents on the first or second appointment. More importantly, the prescribed schedule should be followed to the best of the professional abilities of the pediatric dentist. Aims. The aim of the study was to assess the co-relation between appointment scheduling and patient satisfaction in a pediatric dental setup with the objective of understanding the parameters related to appointment scheduling to increase patient satisfaction. Method. A total of 40 patients, who visited the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, YMT Dental College & Hospital, for dental treatment were selected on a random basis. A questionnaire with a set of 6 questions with a rating scale of 1–5 to assess the patient satisfaction related to appointment scheduling was prepared. Results. A significant number of the patients were happy with the existing appointment scheduling system barring a few exceptions.
<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> The oral cavity is home to a diverse and distinct microbiome. While the role of oral bacteria in cariogenic and other dental diseases is irrefutable, their beneficial effects in the form of probiotics (PB) has been less studied, especially pertaining to oral diseases in children. This study compares the efficacy of a PB mouthrinse with 0.12% chlorhexidine (CHX) and 0.05% sodium fluoride (NaF) mouthrinse on the colony counts of mutans streptococci (MS) in children. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A triple-blind crossover randomized trial between interventional groups was planned. Fifty-one children between 8 to 12 years of age were divided into three groups (I, II, and III) and were exposed to all three mouthrinses (A, B, and C) by randomized allocation for a period of two weeks with an inter-phase washout period of four weeks. Pre- and post-interventional MS counts (CFU/mL) were assessed, and the mean change was analysed using the <i>t</i> test (intragroup) and ANOVA (intergroup and crossover). <b><i>Results:</i></b> The mean changes in the colony counts obtained with the use of PB, CHX, and NaF mouthrinses were −1.0223 (−1.2201 to −0.8246), −0.9564 (−1.1503 to −0.7626), and −0.9511 (−1.1554 to −0.7467), respectively, which were statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). However, the intergroup comparison for the mean change in colony counts revealed no statistically significant differences (<i>p</i> > 0.05). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The study concluded that the PB mouthrinse was equally efficacious as compared to CHX and NaF mouthrinses against MS in 8- to 12-year-old children. However, further studies are recommended to strengthen the evidence.
A
bstract
Introduction
The success of orofacial myotherapy in children is dependent on patient compliance to treatment protocols recommended by practitioners, such as reporting for regular follow-ups to the clinic, wear of appliances, and practice of orofacial myotherapy exercises at home. Due to the availability of limited literature on the same, this mixed methods study focused on studying the perception of Indian dental practitioners toward pediatric patient compliance to orofacial myotherapy treatment protocols.
Materials and methods
A self-administered, digital questionnaire was emailed to members of the
Foundation of Orofacial Myotherapy
. Participants were asked to rate the pediatric patient compliance in their practice on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from Very Compliant to Not Compliant at all. Parameters assessed included patient attendance for clinical follow-ups, regular appliance wear, and the daily practice of exercises at home. Qualitative data were collected based on the participant's answers to open-ended questions on compliance barriers faced by them in practice.
Results
39.5% of practitioners rated their patients to be compliant toward clinical follow-ups, while 27.9% of practitioners reported patients to be compliant to home schedule. Barriers to patient compliance reported by practitioners were lack of motivation of parent and child, absence of parental supervision, hectic patient schedule, peer pressure, and difficulty in performing exercises and wearing appliances.
Conclusion
Patient compliance to orofacial myotherapy treatment protocols remains a problem area for dental practitioners. There is a need to conduct future studies to explore behavioral interventions which can help practitioners overcome the barriers to patient compliance reported in this study.
Clinical significance
The results of this study can help practitioners who are already practicing orofacial myotherapy or plan to do so in future, to identify problem areas in their own practice, in the context of pediatric patient compliance toward orofacial myotherapy treatment protocols and the potential measures that can be implemented by them to overcome the same.
How to cite this article
Gune NS, Katre AN. Dental Practitioner's Perception of the Compliance of Pediatric Patients to Orofacial Myotherapy Treatment Protocols: A Mixed Methods Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14(2):222–228.
One may conclude that irrespective of the caries status of the child, majority of the mother child pairs share identical strains of MS and hence the mother is the primary source of infection. However, in children with a high dft, the father may also play an important role in the acquisition and transmission of MS.
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