Participation of paediatric patients in primary dental care before and after a dental general anaesthetic

Purpose The aim of this retrospective study is to determine children’s attendance and experience of preventative interventions and operative treatment (restorations and extractions) with their primary care dentist (PCD) in the 12 months before and after their caries management under dental general anaesthetic (DGA).

Methods A record of all children who had an elective DGA in 2016 across two hospital sites was retrospectively obtained (n = 1308). A representative sample of 300 was randomly selected encompassing 114 dental practices. An online questionnaire to the children’s PCDs collated quantitative and qualitative data regarding participation in the pre- and post-DGA period.

Results Data was collated and analysed for 80 children (mean age: 6 years 10 months [SD = 2.49; range: 2 years 1 month – 14 years 3 months]; equal sex distribution) with 43 responding PCDs. Attendance for examination declined significantly from 85% (n = 68) pre-DGA to 57.5% (n = 46) post-DGA (p ≤ 0.001). Attendance at emergency appointments pre-DGA was high (33.75% [n = 27]); a significant reduction post-DGA was recorded (p ≤ 0.001). Over one third of children (37.5% [n = 30]) did not receive any form of preventative intervention over 24 months. A non-significant reduction in the provision of operative treatment was observed post-DGA (p = 0.06 [fill, primary]; p = 0.78 [fill, permanent]; p = 0.66 [ext, primary]). No statistical difference between age and treatment experience was found. Qualitative analysis revealed challenges in providing care included behavioural difficulties and poor attendance.

Conclusion Improvements are required in strategies employed to support high caries risk children pre- and post-DGA to facilitate a higher incidence of attendance and preventative intervention with PCDs.