Barriers in the Treatment of Early Childhood Caries amongst the General Dentists - A Cross Sectional Study in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Abstract

Objective: To find out the barriers in treating early childhood caries in children by general dentists. Material and Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was undertaken among fifty general dentists in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, following a simple random sampling. Each selected candidate was given a barrier in childhood caries treatment (BaCCT) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the absolute and relative frequencies, mean, median and standard deviation. Results: The general dentists exhibited quite a few barriers in providing treatment for early childhood caries. The children don't like to sit on dental chair (74%), they don't like the sound of drill (78%) and they are fearful of dental treatment (86%). Providing care for children can be stressful and troublesome for the dentist (80%) and that they feel time constrained, i.e they do not spend much time with children (70%). Training in the field of management of child behaviour enhances their ability to handle early childhood caries. Conclusion: The general dentists should be given proper training in handling children in their curriculum or through continuing education programmes so that they can act as a larger workforce to be able to treat early childhood caries effectively and efficiently for the benefit of society.