ABSTRACT
Loss of autonomy should mean that dentistry may no longer be viewed as a profession. Relationships between medical professions, patients and politicians evolve as society disease patterns change. A new and more appropriately modern definition of what constitutes a profession may now be needed.
Subject(s)
Dentistry , Professional Competence , HumansABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between toothbrushing habits of 8-9 year-olds and maternal behaviours and attitudes towards oral health in a sample of Japanese population. METHODS: Cross-sectional data on mothers' behaviours and attitudes towards oral health and children's toothbrushing habits were collected from 378 mother-child pairs by self-administered questionnaires. Logistic regression examined the association of children's daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste with family characteristics, mother's behaviour (toothbrushing frequency, use of interdental aids and supervision of children's toothbrushing), and mother's attitudes towards oral health (priority for toothbrushing and dental fear). RESULTS: Children's favourable brushing habits were positively associated with child's gender (female) (OR 1.29; 95%CI:1.09,1.53), child's order of birth (first) (OR 1.53; 95%CI:1.05,2.23), maternal brushing habits (OR 2.42; 95%CI:1.73,3.40), and maternal dental fear (OR 1.45; 95%CI:1.10,1.90). None of the other examined factors were significantly associated with child toothbrushing behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Matemal oral hygiene practice and attitude towards dentists appear to be important predictors of children's toothbrushing habits in this Japanese community sample.
Subject(s)
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Mother-Child Relations , Patient Compliance , Toothbrushing/statistics & numerical data , Toothpastes/therapeutic use , Child , Female , Humans , Japan , Male , Surveys and Questionnaires , Toothpastes/chemistryABSTRACT
If clinical audit revolves around concepts of quality, then there is need to examine the basis of quality and thereby clinical audit as traditionally defined by health-care organizations. Basing quality on patients' stated needs is often insufficient. Gives an expanded view. Health-care consumers should not be confused with the term customers, and professional staff should be ready to consider patients' needs before those of any organization. In order to handle this wider view of quality in health care, describes the concept and construction of a quality web. Suggests that either by constructing their own quality web, or adapting the model given, clinical managers could adopt a broader perspective to quality and audit in the service they provide.
