Knowledge and Use of Caries Risk Assessment for Adult Patients Croatian Dentists

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usage of caries risk assessment (CRA) by Croatian general practitioners and evaluate their knowledge and attitudes towards CRA. Material and methods: A link to an online questionnaire was sent via e-mail to a sample of 1,500 general dentists in Croatia. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression analyses and chi-square tests. Results: Of 257 respondents, 47% performed CRA routinely, but only 4.5% of them used a specific CRA form. The significance of different actors in the development of a treat-ment plan varied considerably among respondents. Furthermore, in 77% of the respondents CRA was a basis for planning individual caries prevention (ICP). The association between CRA and ICP, and be-tween CRA and treatment planning was statistically significant (p=0.001). The practitioners doing CRA more often plan their treatment and ICP according to CRA. The use of CRA was not influenced by specialty and dentists’ experience. Conclusions: In a considerable percentage (53%) of Croatian general dentists, CRA is not part of their routine practice, and there is a strong association between the use of CRA and treatment plans and ICP. There is a need to promote the use of CRA in daily dental practice in Croatia.

Keywords

• Dental Caries
• Risk Assessment
• Croatia
• Preventive Dentistry
• Primary Prevention