Nursing Students’ Assessment and Parent Reports of Their Children’s Oral Health Behaviors as Predictors of Tooth Decay Risk—A Cross-Sectional, Correlational Study

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between children’s tooth decay risk score and a dental examination and parent reports of oral health practices. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study utilizing data from an oral health assessment was performed by undergraduate nursing students and parents completed the permission forms. Results: Four hundred and fifty-six children received an oral health assessment. None of the percentages were found to be at high risk for tooth de cay and 21% were referred for further evaluation and dental treatment. Twenty-seven % of parents reported that their child was not being seen by a dentist and 49% reported that they had not established recommended tooth brushing practices in early childhood. In this analysis, the physical examination measures accounted for a significant amount of risk: R2 = 0.55, F(5,317) = 7.62, P