117 - Cultural Influence on Parental Acceptance of Pharmacological Behavior Guidance Techniques in Pediatric Dentistry

Purpose: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess when and why certain pharmacologic behavior guidance techniques (pBGTs) are acceptable to parents.

Methods: English- and Spanish-speaking Texan parents and Spanish-speaking Colombian parents of children under 18yrs of age and watched a video of either nitrous, sedation, or general anesthesia and were asked to rate their acceptance and what factors alter acceptability (age, medical complexity, dental treatment needs, fear/anxiety, cooperation, and finances). Parents were also given an opportunity to provide safety concerns for the pBGT they scored. Statistical analysis with ANOVA completed; P<.05 were considered significant.

Results: Three hundred four parents participated in this study. Overall, there was no difference in acceptability of the pBGTs. Differences were identified between pBGT acceptance and patient age, medical complexity, and dental treatment needs. There were differences in the cultural-linguistic communities when evaluating nitrous alone (age and level of cooperation, p<0.05), sedation alone (age, medical complexity, dental treatment needs, level of anxiety, and level of cooperation; p<0.05), and general anesthesia alone (age, medical complexity, dental treatment needs, level of anxiety, and level of cooperation; p<0.05). ​

Conclusions: Acceptability of pBGTs vary based on multiple patient factors, including age, medical history, treatment needs, cooperation of the patient and cost. Language and culture of the parents significantly influenced parental acceptance rates. Providers should avoid generalizing acceptability of pBGTs and be aware of specific factors that may influence parental opinions. Providers should be aware of potential concerns and able to provide up-to-date, culturally-sensitive responses to the utilization of pBGTs in their office.​