This study offers important baseline data about the acceptability of differing restorative techniques and about the type of intervention that could bring about change in pattern of use by community dental officers in two large Trusts in Wales. If a postgraduate course in the use of stainless steel crowns is to meet dental officers' needs, it should address their concerns about the use of crowns.

Background Neglect is the most common form of child abuse in the UK. One area of neglect that is frequently overlooked is dental neglect. This rarely occurs alone and is part of a wider picture. Referrals for dental neglect are made infrequently by dentists; Possibly because no clear threshold for referral exists and they perceive concerns about the "Safeguarding" referrals system. Paediatric staff have limited oral health knowledge, and this combined with dentists reluctance to communicate concerns surrounding child protection, means that there is ample potential for dental neglect to be missed. Aims We explored whether dentists, doctors and nurses, could agree on a threshold to act with regard to suspected dental neglect or child protection issues. Methods A cross-sectional survey of hospital and community: doctors, dentists and nurses was conducted. Semi-structured interviews using a series of 5 vignettes involving oral health and child protection, focused on the following issues;