A survey of caregiver acculturation and acceptance of silver diamine fluoride treatment for childhood caries

BACKGROUND: Interest in aqueous silver diamine fluoride (SDF) has been growing as a treatment for caries arrest. A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify factors associated with caregiver acceptance of SDF treatment for children presenting with caries at 8 Federally Qualified Health Centers. The study purpose was to examine associations between caregiver acceptance of SDF treatment for children with caries and (1) sociodemographic and acculturation characteristics of caregivers and (2) clinical assessments of the children by dentists. METHODS: A caregiver survey collected information on: sociodemographic characteristics; acculturation characteristics, measured using the validated Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH); perceived benefits and barriers of SDF treatment, including caregiver comfort; and perceived health-related knowledge. Chart reviews were conducted to assess: the medical / dental insurance of pediatric patients; cumulative caries experience, measured using decayed, missing, filled teeth total scores (dmft / DMFT); whether operating room treatment was needed; and a record of caregiver acceptance of SDF treatment (the outcome measure). Standard logistic regression models were developed for caregiver acceptance of SDF treatment for their children as the binary outcome of interest (yes / no) to calculate unadjusted odds ratios (OR) and adjusted ORs for covariates of interest. RESULTS: Overall, 434 of 546 caregivers (79.5%) accepted SDF treatment for their children. A U-shaped relationship between caregiver odds of accepting SDF treatment and age group of pediatric patients was present, where caregivers were most likely to accept SDF treatment for their children who were either < 6 years or 9–14 years, and least likely to accept SDF treatment for children 6 to < 9 years. The relationship between acculturation and caregiver acceptance of SDF treatment depended upon whether or not caregivers were born in the United States: greater acculturation was associated with caregiver acceptance of SDF treatment among caregivers born in this country, and lower acculturation was associated with caregiver acceptance of SDF treatment among caregivers born elsewhere. CONCLUSIONS: Caregiver acceptance of SDF treatment is high; child’s age and caregiver comfort are associated with acceptance. Providers need to communicate the risks and benefits of evidence-based dental treatments to increasingly diverse caregiver and patient populations.