Parents and Children's Views on Non-Invasive and Minimally Invasive Caries Management Strategies

• Grant number: 24/02343-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: November 04, 2024
• End date: September 03, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Pediatric Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Daniela Prócida Raggio
• Grantee: Jonathan Rafael Garbim
• Supervisor: Ilze Maldupa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Riga Stradins University, Latvia
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/04054-7 - Success rate of restorations repaired using glass ionomer cement and composite resin: A randomized clinical trial, BP.DR

Abstract

Background: Dental caries is a significant public health issue, particularly among children, with high prevalence rates in Latvia. Traditional restorative dental treatments often have high failure rates, leading to tooth loss. However, less invasive management based on the Minimal Intervention Dentistry (MID) have more recently shown a growing evidence-base for their clinical and cost- effectiveness in avoiding pain and infection. Getting clinicians to adopt and use these evidence- based caries treatment methods remains challenging globally. This study will investigate the barriers and facilitators for Latvian parents and their children in accepting these MID caries treatment methods. The specific objectives include assessing parent and child acceptance of MID such as non-restorative caries control/management, silver diamine fluoride (SDF), and the Hall Technique, as well as determining parental support for using MID for their children within the Latvian dental care system. Materials and Methods: We followed partially the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines to write the study protocol and will use it in the final study report. The Ethics Committee of Riga Strains University approved the study protocol (22- 2/500/2021). A purposive sample of parent/child dads will be recruited, including parents whose children will have experienced MID treatment and parents whose children will have undergone conventional dental treatment. It is anticipated that a sample size of around 10-14 parent/child dyads will be needed per group to reach data saturation. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted in person, audio recorded, and transcribed. Thematic analysis will be used to identify patterns and recurring themes. Ethical considerations and data security measures will be implemented, ensuring participant confidentiality and compliance with relevant guidelines and regulations. Data will be stored in are structed-access repository and published in aggregated form to maintain privacy. Results: The results of this study will provide information about factors that parents and children perceive affecting their acceptance of minimally invasive caries management strategies. This information will be further used to develop implementation strategies to facilitate adoption of minimally invasive strategies in dental care delivery in Latvia. By exploring parents' and children's preferences for MID caries management strategies, the research will fill an evidence gap, support decision-making and treatment planning, and contribute to strategies that increase the use of these methods in dental practice in Latvia and worldwide, as well as facilitating the implementation of minimal intervention in clinical practice.