The Participation of Pediatric Dentists in Oral Health Promotion and Education in Serbia

Abstract

Objectives: To identify the involvement of Serbian paediatric dentists in oral health promotion and education, and to propose further actions for the improvement of these activities. Methods: This is an analysis of data collected by a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey of 445 dentists involved in the provision of dental health services to children at the primary healthcare level. We explored dentists' involvement in oral health education and promotion and the cooperation with other health professionals at the healthcare centre and the community level as well as their attitudes towards the importance of some factors influencing their work. Results: Dentists estimate their cooperation with different services with ratings higher than 3 on the scale of 1 to 5. They reported the highest satisfaction in cooperation with paediatric services for preschool and schoolchildren (4.0±1.0). At the community level, they reported excellent cooperation with kindergartens (4.4±0.8), while collaboration with Roma health mediators (3.14±1.34) and nongovernmental organizations (2.5±1.4) received lower ratings. According to the average rating (4.7±0.7), dentists perceive the motivation of patients and/or their guardians for keeping good oral health as the factor with the highest importance for the quality of interventions they provide. Conclusions: Dentists involved in the provision of dental healthcare for children and adolescents in primary healthcare centres in Serbia participate in different oral healthcare education and promotion activities in the community, and highlight the importance of strengthening cooperation with healthcare and other professionals and services aimed at vulnerable population groups, both within the health sector and nongovernmental organizations.