ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Tooth decay is so common in children that about 60 to 90% of children worldwide are affected by this disorder. Despite the prominent role of pediatricians in children's oral health, their knowledge of oral diseases has been reported to be low. Therefore, in this systematic review, the results of studies on the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of pediatricians about oral diseases in children were evaluated.

Material and Methods: The process of preparing this research was done according to the preferred cases in the report of systematic review articles and meta-analysis (PRISMA). The data of each article were categorized and extracted based on the author, year, journal, place of publication, number of samples (pediatricians), findings and conclusion. Studies were selected between 2006 and 2020. Almost new studies were explored based on geographical distribution from almost all different parts of the world. Articles examining the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of residents and pediatricians (2006-2020) were selected. Finally, 13 articles were selected in which a questionnaire containing common questions was used. Finally, descriptive analysis of the data was performed using SPSS software 13.

Results: Despite the good knowledge of pediatricians about the symptoms and causes of dental caries in children, a high percentage of pediatricians (78.7%) reported that the level of their education in children's oral health was insufficient. Furthermore, 2.5% of pediatricians believed that tooth decay in children can be prevented. The results of this study showed that only 35.5% of pediatricians evaluated fluoride intake.

Conclusion: The results of this review showed that despite the positive attitude and belief of pediatricians regarding their responsibility in preventing tooth decay in children, they do not have enough self-confidence to do due to insufficient education in identifying and recognizing its effective factors.

Keywords: knowledge, attitude, practice, pediatricians, Pediatricians, Pediatric oral health professionals.