Abstract:

Introduction: The American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry recognizes the concept of dental visits of children of 1 year of age. The first dental visit based on a special protocol provides for the development of preventive habits and health culture fostering the overall oral health and wellness. The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes, knowledge, and competence of Bulgarian dentists regarding the work with children up to 3 years of age. Materials and methods: А web-based self-administered survey with 6 questions was distributed to 500 dentists in Bulgaria. To provide dissemination and completion of the questionnaire, we used Google Forms and online access to the questionnaire. It included questions relating to the dentists’ awareness of the recommendations of the global guidelines on the examination and treatment of young children. Results: Significantly more colleagues (77.60%) were not aware of the concept of the Dental Home. Almost half of the dentists see children below the age of three. Most dentists believe that the reason for the delayed first dental visit is in the parents. Most colleagues support global trends and believe that the first dental examination should take place before the first birthday.  Conclusion: Most of the dentists in Bulgaria are convinced of the need for a first dental examination before the age of 1, but the concept of the Dental Home with its philosophy, principles, and policy is not well known.

Keywords: dental home, first dental visit, dentists