Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers to Fluoride Application as a Preventive Measure among Oral Health Care Providers

Objective. To investigate the knowledge, attitude, and possible barriers to fluoride application among oral health-care providers in Kuwait. Methods. A validated self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 291 dentists. The questionnaire included four categories: dentists’...

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Main Authors: Aqdar A. Akbar, Noura Al-Sumait, Hanan Al-Yahya, Mohammad Y. Sabti, Muawia A. Qudeimat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:International Journal of Dentistry
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/8908924
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author Aqdar A. Akbar
Noura Al-Sumait
Hanan Al-Yahya
Mohammad Y. Sabti
Muawia A. Qudeimat
author_facet Aqdar A. Akbar
Noura Al-Sumait
Hanan Al-Yahya
Mohammad Y. Sabti
Muawia A. Qudeimat
author_sort Aqdar A. Akbar
collection DOAJ
description Objective. To investigate the knowledge, attitude, and possible barriers to fluoride application among oral health-care providers in Kuwait. Methods. A validated self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 291 dentists. The questionnaire included four categories: dentists’ characteristics, knowledge of and attitude towards fluoride application, factors influencing decision-making on prescription of fluoride, and the clinician’s perception of own knowledge. Means, group differences, and logistic regression were calculated. Results. 262 completed the questionnaire (response rate of 90%). Half of the participants (49%) reported that water fluoridation is the best method for caries prevention in children. Majority of the participants (80%) acknowledged that topical fluoride prevents dental caries, but only 40% frequently use it in their practices. Fear of overdose was a concern in 57% of the participants. About 31% believed that caries is a multifactorial disease and cannot be prevented. In addition, 32% of the dentists who thought caries is multifactorial and cannot be prevented stated that restorations take precedence over preventive therapy. Conclusion. Despite the participants being in favor of topical fluoride application and believing in its effectiveness, certain barriers were apparent such as knowledge deficiencies, products labelling flaw, and lack of participation in effective continuing educational activities.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1687-8728
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language English
publishDate 2018-01-01
publisher Wiley
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series International Journal of Dentistry
spelling doaj-art-e7286b8dd0534309adcf32f75559bad12025-02-03T01:00:10ZengWileyInternational Journal of Dentistry1687-87281687-87362018-01-01201810.1155/2018/89089248908924Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers to Fluoride Application as a Preventive Measure among Oral Health Care ProvidersAqdar A. Akbar0Noura Al-Sumait1Hanan Al-Yahya2Mohammad Y. Sabti3Muawia A. Qudeimat4Department of General Dental Practice, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, KuwaitMinistry of Health, Kuwait City, KuwaitMinistry of Health, Kuwait City, KuwaitDepartment of General Dental Practice, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, KuwaitDepartment of Developmental and Preventive Sciences, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, KuwaitObjective. To investigate the knowledge, attitude, and possible barriers to fluoride application among oral health-care providers in Kuwait. Methods. A validated self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 291 dentists. The questionnaire included four categories: dentists’ characteristics, knowledge of and attitude towards fluoride application, factors influencing decision-making on prescription of fluoride, and the clinician’s perception of own knowledge. Means, group differences, and logistic regression were calculated. Results. 262 completed the questionnaire (response rate of 90%). Half of the participants (49%) reported that water fluoridation is the best method for caries prevention in children. Majority of the participants (80%) acknowledged that topical fluoride prevents dental caries, but only 40% frequently use it in their practices. Fear of overdose was a concern in 57% of the participants. About 31% believed that caries is a multifactorial disease and cannot be prevented. In addition, 32% of the dentists who thought caries is multifactorial and cannot be prevented stated that restorations take precedence over preventive therapy. Conclusion. Despite the participants being in favor of topical fluoride application and believing in its effectiveness, certain barriers were apparent such as knowledge deficiencies, products labelling flaw, and lack of participation in effective continuing educational activities.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/8908924
spellingShingle Aqdar A. Akbar
Noura Al-Sumait
Hanan Al-Yahya
Mohammad Y. Sabti
Muawia A. Qudeimat
Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers to Fluoride Application as a Preventive Measure among Oral Health Care Providers
International Journal of Dentistry
title Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers to Fluoride Application as a Preventive Measure among Oral Health Care Providers
title_full Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers to Fluoride Application as a Preventive Measure among Oral Health Care Providers
title_fullStr Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers to Fluoride Application as a Preventive Measure among Oral Health Care Providers
title_full_unstemmed Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers to Fluoride Application as a Preventive Measure among Oral Health Care Providers
title_short Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers to Fluoride Application as a Preventive Measure among Oral Health Care Providers
title_sort knowledge attitude and barriers to fluoride application as a preventive measure among oral health care providers
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/8908924
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