Evaluation of information on dental health care at child health centers. Differences in educational level, attitudes, and knowledge among parents of preschool children with different caries experience.

The aim of this study was to interpret the manner in which information on dental health care, systematically offered at child health centers, is assimilated among parents of preschool children with different caries experience. The material comprised children who, on the basis of defined criteria were classified as 'healthy' or 'diseased' with regard to caries and restorations. The investigation was mainly performed as telephone interviews with the parents. The results showed no difference between the groups with regard to diet, oral hygiene, and use of fluorides. However, parents of healthy children had a statistically significantly higher level of education than parents of diseased children. The level of education did not influence the knowledge as such but rather the ability to put the knowledge into practice. Parents of healthy children claimed to a greater extent than parents of diseased children to have received a combination of verbal and written information. This could be because the first group had a greater interest in assimilating new information and in creating a two-way communication with the informer. This is probably an effect of the level of education and confirms that it is essential to make people aware of the information's importance rather than merely teaching facts.