Clinical trial NCT05911542: Dentists' Attitudes Towards Pharmacological Management of Acute Pain in Children and Adolescents - a Follow-up Survey
Official title: Dentists' Attitudes Towards Pharmacological Management of Acute Pain in Children and Adolescents - a Follow-up Survey
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Pain Management
Lead sponsor: Malmö University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-06-22
Enrollment: 719
Sex: ALL
Maximum age (years): 64
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Observational model: CASE_ONLY
Time perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL
Sampling method: PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: General Dental Practitioners with a civil registration address in County Skåne, Sweden, and Specialist Paediatric Dentists in Sweden.

Brief summary: The aim of this study is to investigate Swedish dentists' attitudes about pain management when treating children and adolescents by assessing 1) dentists' recommendations for the use of pre- and postoperative analgesics, (2) use of local anaesthesia during treatment of primary and permanent teeth, and (3) if the use of these strategies differs between General Dental Practitioners (GDP) and Specialist Paediatric Dentists (SPD).

All Swedish SPDs (including post-graduate dentists in paediatric dentistry), circa 150 in total, and approximately 1,000 GDPs in County Skåne, Sweden will be invited to answer a questionnaire.

Detailed description: This survey study is follow-up to a survey carried out in 2014, addressed to Swedish General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) and Specialist Paediatric Dentists (SPDs). The aim of this study is to investigate Swedish dentists' attitudes about pain management when treating children and adolescents by assessing 1) dentists' recommendations for the use of pre- and postoperative analgesics, 2) use of local anaesthesia during treatment of primary and permanent teeth, and 3) if the use of these strategies differs between GDPs and SPDs.

All SPDs (including post-graduate dentists in paediatric dentistry) in Sweden, circa 150 in total, and approximately 1,000 GDPs, will be invited to answer the questionnaire. To be included GDPs need to have registered addresses in county Skåne, Sweden, and be accredited to provide dental care to children and adolescents by Region Skåne, the regional public health and dental care provider. A questionnaire along with written information about the study and two consent forms will be mailed to presumptive study participants. Those willing to participate in the study are asked to return (postage prepaid) one signed consent form and the completed questionnaire. The questionnaire is adapted from one previously used in Sweden. It contains demographic questions, and questions regarding work situation. These questions are followed by four clinical scenarios, and questions relating to use of pain management practices. Responses are given on a 5-point Likert scale. The final questions are open ended and concern the use of pre- and postoperative analgesics.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

General Dental Practitioners with a civil registration address in County Skåne, Sweden.

Specialist Paediatric Dentists in Sweden.

Exclusion Criteria:

Not accredited to provide dental care to children and adolescents (applies to General Dental Practitioners).

≥ 65 years of age

Primary outcomes:
measure: Attitudes towards management of acute pain
timeFrame: 4 months
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Malmö
country: Sweden
facility: Malmö University
state: Skåne
Study officials:
affiliation: Malmö University
name: Gunilla Klingberg, Professor
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Berlin H, List T, Ridell K, Klingberg G. Dentists' attitudes towards acute pharmacological pain management in children and adolescents. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2018 Mar;28(2):152-160. doi: 10.1111/ipd.12316. Epub 2017 Jul 10.
citation: Wondimu B, Dahllof G. Attitudes of Swedish dentists to pain and pain management during dental treatment of children and adolescents. Eur J Paediatr Dent. 2005 Jun;6(2):66-72.