272 - Improvement of Self-management Goals of Dental Caries Through Image Depiction

Purpose: The WHO Global Oral Health 2022 report highlighted the pervasive issue of childhood dental caries, impacting 514 million children globally, particularly affecting those in poverty. Effective prevention and management of dental caries necessitate a comprehensive understanding of its multifaceted determinants. Pediatric and general dentists play pivotal roles in mitigating caries through techniques such as risk assessment, diet counseling, and motivational interviewing. However, outdated imaging tools for caries management underscore the need for improved visual aids. This quality improvement (QI) project at Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC) aims to enhance tools for caries self-management and empower parental decision-making in children's oral care.

Methods: This is a project undertaken as a Quality Improvement Initiative at Children's National Hospital and it does not constitute human subjects research, as such it was not under the oversight of the Institutional Review Board.This QI project involved development of a dental specific image chart demonstrating self-management caries goals including routine preventative exam, healthy diet options, drinks/foods to avoid, and OH instructions. The image chart shown was developed by the CNH dental department with hopes to then be modified as needed based on recommendations from current residents and faculty. A survey with images was emailed to residents and faculty with anonymous responses. A protocol and establishment of for the implementation of the caries self-management image chart during anticipatory guidance was then developed.

Results: Participants provided valuable feedback, suggesting improvements such as adding daily flossing and replacing candy pictures with healthier snack options. Notably, 90% of participants preferred separate image charts for different groups and medical conditions. While 40% reported using the image chart at recall exams, an equal percentage had never used it. Key images identified as important included regular dental visits and limiting juice intake, while others were deemed less crucial.

Conclusion: This quality improvement project contributed to caries self-management strategies by refining imaging techniques at CNH.
Through improved visual aids this project gave insight for the need of modified charts to empower parents with better decision-making tools tailored to their child’s needs.

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