A service evaluation of children and caregivers who are referred to dental specialists at St Thomas and King’s Hospital Paediatric Dental Institution in London.

Abstract

Background: Dental caries is the most prevalent disease affecting children worldwide. It does not only affect oral health, but also a child’s health and wellbeing. This service evaluation reports on the preventive care received by children prior to referral at the specialist paediatric dental hospital at St Thomas’ Hospital, London. Method: Data were collected retrospectively from computerized referral records for children referred to specialist paediatric dental service at St Thomas’ Hospital London between December 2019 to July 2020. Data were manually processed into an electronic database. Patient demographics, reason for referral, dental history and prevention advice were recorded. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: One hundred and twelve referral forms were reviewed. There were 46 girls and 66 boys. Majority of children were healthy, pre-cooperative, with urgent referrals. Fifty-eight children (52%) were referred due to dental caries, of these 34 were between the age of 0-to-7 years. Out of 112, 62 children (55%) were regular attendees and 50 (47%) were occasional attendees or had never attended previously. Eleven families already have had another child undergone extraction for dental caries. All referred children received verbal dental advice (oral hygiene and dietary) from the referrer. Conclusion: The majority of children were referred for dental treatment under specialist in a hospital dental service at St Thomas Hospital were high-caries-risk- children. As ECC can be preventable, prevention measures are essential to ensure families the effectiveness of home care liaising with the local dentist’s preventive care to reduce future incidence of caries as the vast majority were referred due to dental caries. The importance of shared care between practitioners and specialist in hospital providing multidisciplinary care for the child’s quality of life. Further investigation to explore the health care at home and promote local community oral health service at home and nursery schools.