Changes in oral health-related quality of life among Austrian preschool children following dental treatment under general anaesthesia.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse possible changes in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) before and after dental treatment under dental general anaesthesia (DGA) among Austrian preschool children. METHODS: A consecutive sample of 89 parents of children aged 2 to 5 years, suffering from early childhood caries (ECC) and scheduled for DGA, were recruited from two locations in Austria (Vienna and Salzburg). Parents self-completed the German version of the ECOHIS before (baseline) and 4 weeks (T4) after their child's dental treatment. The ECOHIS consists of 13 questions and is divided into two main parts, namely, the child impact section (9 items) and the family impact section (4 items). RESULTS: A total of 80 children (89%) completed a sufficient number ECOHIS questions at baseline and the follow-up assessment after 4 weeks. "Pain in the teeth, mouth, and jaws" and "difficulty eating some foods" from the child section and parents' ratings of "feeling upset" and "guilty" were the most frequently reported impacts at baseline. The ECOHIS total score decreased significantly from a mean of 14.60 to 9.89 (p < 0.001) after DGA treatment, revealing a large effect size for the child (0.8) section, family (0.6) section, and the total score (0.8). Parents rated their child's overall and oral health significantly higher after the DGA treatment (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Significant improvements in oral health-related quality of life were observed 4 weeks after DGA in children suffering from ECC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: ECC has an impact on OHRQoL. Rehabilitation under general anaesthesia makes a sustainable improvement.

The German version of Child Perceptions Questionnaire for children aged 8 to 10 years (CPQ-G8-10): translation, reliability, and validity.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to develop a German version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire for children aged 8 to 10 years (CPQ-G8-10), a measure of oral health-related quality of life, and to assess the instrument's reliability and validity. METHODS: The original English version of the CPQ8-10 questionnaire was translated into German (CPQ-G8-10) by a forward-backward translation method. A total of 409 8- to 10-year-old children who were recruited at the Department of Paediatric Dentistry in Vienna, Austria, participated in this study. The children self-completed the CPQ-G8-10 and were clinically examined for the presence of dental caries and plaque accumulation. Reliability of CPQ-G8-10 was investigated in a subsample of 58 children after 3 weeks. RESULTS: Questionnaire summary score test-retest reliability was 0.85 (intraclass correlation coefficient, 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 0.75 to 0.91) and internal consistency was 0.88 (Cronbach's alpha, lower limit of the 95% CI: 0.87). Validity of the CPQ-G8-10 questionnaire was supported by correlation coefficients with global ratings of oral health of - 0.40 (95% CI - 0.49 to - 0.31) and overall well-being of - 0.26 (95% CI - 0.33 to - 0.13) which met the expectations. Mean CPQ-G8-10 scores were statistically significantly higher in children with caries (dmft+DMFT > 0) compared with caries-free children (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The German version of the CPQ8-10 was found to be reliable and valid in children aged 8 to 10 years. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings enable assessments of oral health-related quality of life in German speaking 8- to 10-year-old children.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Knowledge, Perception and Attitudes of Dentistry Students in Austria: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Universities with dental schools are faced with complex problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dentistry students are at a higher risk of contracting infections, specifically COVID-19, due to direct contact with patients. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, perception and attitude regarding COVID-19 among dentistry students in Austria. METHODS: During the first lockdown in Austria, an online survey was distributed among 165 dentistry students in their clinical term at the Medical University of Vienna. The survey contained elaborative questions on the general knowledge and attitude towards COVID-19. A special focus of the questionnaire was set on the modification of the student's curriculum regarding infection control. RESULTS: In total, 77 (47%) students replied; 68 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Dentistry students were found to have good general knowledge of COVID-19 during the early phase of the pandemic. Most students (89.6%) got their information regarding the COVID-19 infection from official sources; however, 58% would like to attend further lectures on COVID-19 to expand their knowledge. DISCUSSION: The current study finds good general knowledge on COVID-19 among dental students, but some gaps regarding hygienic protocols and infection control. Students' preferences regarding modification in the curriculum suggest practical courses and lectures as a way to close COVID-19 related knowledge gaps.

Impact and Perspectives of Pediatric Dental Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic Regarding Unvaccinated Children: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

The pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus has led to enormous challenges in pediatric dental care. In contrast to adults, many children are without any symptoms of disease if infected with COVID-19 and are not vaccinated. The aim of this study was to conduct an inquiry into the perspective of pediatric dentists in Germany towards the impact of COVID-19 on daily patient care during the lockdowns caused by the pandemic. All members of the Germany Society of Pediatric Dentistry were invited to participate in an online survey. The questionnaire focused on five topics: safety measures, well-being/knowledge, patient care, prospects, and demographic data. A total of 549 pediatric dentists participated (58.11% females, 8.2% males, 0.18% inter/diverse, and 33.51% no answer). In total, 75.2% of the dental clinics were open during the first lockdown (LD1) and 78.1% during the second lockdown (LD2). In LD1, only 22.2% were operating at full capacity, while 40.1% were open with restrictions, and 11.8% only offered emergency treatment. In LD2, 71.2% of practices were operating again and resumed offering all treatment methods. A significant decrease in pediatric patients was reported due to the fact of COVID-19. Furthermore, measures, such as oral hygiene and recall appointments, were reduced. Measures that were performed after the lockdown were mainly aerosol-generating procedures and extractions as well as general anesthesia or sedation. The increased willingness to treat in the second lockdown has shown that pediatric dentists have adapted to the pandemic conditions, which seems to be of great importance, especially in view of the problem of unvaccinated children.