Parents' and caregivers' perspectives on the Manitoba Dental Association's Free First Visit program.

OBJECTIVES: The Free First Visit (FFV) program was implemented in 2010 to promote early preventive dental visits for children <36 months of age in Manitoba, Canada. The purpose was to understand parents' and caregivers' perspectives on the program. METHODS: Three focus groups with 21 participants were conducted in Winnipeg, Canada using an interview guide in this qualitative study. RESULTS: Most participants were aware of the FFV program and the appropriate age for a child's first visit. Almost all agreed with the recommendation to see a dentist by one year of age. Some reported that general dentists advised them to bring their child after three years of age. Participants appreciated that the program was free, and some noted that the program made them aware of the appropriate age for a first visit. About half of the participants had taken their child for a FFV. Reasons for not taking their child for a FFV included: nothing wrong with their child's teeth, they believed there was still time as their child was not three years old, they had government insurance, child's temperament, and feelings of apathy. There were mixed opinions regarding whether the program was helping those who needed it the most. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of participants liked the FFV program and believed that it should continue. Parents would benefit from further education and encouragement to seek oral care for their child by age one. Some general dentists may need further training and skills to meet the recommendations for first dental visits.

DENTISTS' PERSPECTIVES ON THE MANITOBA DENTAL ASSOCIATION'S FREE FIRST VISIT PROGRAM.

BACKGROUND: In 2010, the Manitoba Dental Association implemented the Free First Visit (FFV) program to provide access to dental screenings for children under 3 years of age and promote the concept of the age 1 dental visit. In this article, we report on dentists' views of the program. METHODS: This qualitative study included 3 focus groups held in Winnipeg, Canada. An interview guide was developed to structure discussions. RESULTS: Thirty dentists participated. They were extremely supportive of the FFV program and its continuation. Promoting early visits and providing parents with anticipatory guidance were some reasons dentists participated. The most common reason for not participating was that dentists were already providing free dental care for children. Dentists viewed the goals of the program as increasing public awareness of the importance of early dental visits, establishing dental homes, educating parents, identifying early signs of caries and increasing children's level of comfort in the dental clinic. They indicated that the FFV program prompted some parents to take their children earlier than they might have otherwise. They said that most FFVs were provided to families who were already part of their practice. According to participating dentists, most parents were unaware of the FFV program and did not know about the age 1 visit recommendation. Dentists recommended that the FFV program concentrate on promoting the first visit by age 1 message with the free component as a secondary message. Participants recommended increasing general dentists' involvement in the program as most FFVs are currently provided by pediatric dentists. CONCLUSIONS: Most dentists participating in this study were supportive of the FFV program and advocated its continuation in Manitoba.