Parents of Non-Special Needs Children and Their Attitude towards Silver Diamine Fluoride as an Alternative Treatment Approach for Carious Lesions

Objective The goal of this study is to determine the acceptance of using SDF treatment among a non-special needs group of children attending Nova Southeastern Universities (NSU) dental clinics at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Kids in Distress in lieu of alternative treatment approaches. Background Silver Diamine Fluoride is an alternative method to treating carious lesions without the use of a needle and drill to potentially delay or avoid more extensive treatment measures such as oral conscious sedation or general anesthesia. Applied to the caries for 1-3 minutes, SDF arrests the carious lesion and creates a hard, protective barrier to prevent additional decay [1] [2]. Methods An 18-question survey was administered to 100 parents of patients being seen at two of NSU’s clinic locations to see if they would select SDF treatment for their child. The clinics utilized for this research were Kid’s in Distress and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. SDF acceptance was measured by mean scale score on SDF feasibility questionnaire. Scores can range from 0-3, with higher scores indicating higher levels of SDF acceptance. Results In process, will be completed prior to presentation date. Conclusion In process, will be completed prior to presentation date. Grant Number 335612 Research funded by the Health Professions Division grant.