Development of Caries Risk Assessment Tool for Iranian Preschoolers: A Primary Validation Study

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to develop a dental caries risk assessment tool for Iranian preschoolers. METHODS: In a validation and cross-sectional study, a random sample of 150 preschool children was involved. This study was conducted in three phases: questionnaire design (expert panel and peer evaluation), questionnaire testing (pilot evaluation and field testing), and validation study. The initial assessments include interview, dental examination, and laboratory investigations. Validity and reliability indices, content validity index (CVI), content validity ratio (CVR), impact score, and test-retest and Cronbach's alpha were measured. Decayed, missing, filled teeth (dmft) scores were calculated according to the WHO guidelines. RESULTS: The Iranian version of caries risk assessment (CRA) questionnaire contained 17 items. Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.86) indicated a suitable internal consistency. The mean scores for the CVI and the CVR were 0.87 and 0.78, respectively. The prevalence rate of dental caries in the study group was 69.3%, and the mean dmft was 4.57 (range 0–19). CONCLUSIONS: The Persian version of CRA questionnaire was adapted to the Iranian population. The findings demonstrated overall acceptable validity and also reliability in the application of test-retest. The results of the present study provide initial evidence that the designed CRA form could be a useful tool for CRA in the Iranian preschoolers.