Methods: Surveys were sent to 915 Dental Practice-based Research Network (DPBRN; www.DentalPBRN.org) member dentists who perform restorative dentistry in their practices. DPBRN is a consortium of participating practices and dental organizations that comprises five regions: AL/MS: Alabama/Mississippi; FL/GA: Florida/Georgia; MN: dentists employed by HealthPartners and private practitioners in Minnesota; PDA: Permanente Dental Associates in cooperation with Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research; and SK: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Dentists were asked what percentage of certain preventive procedures were administered to adult patients: (1) dental sealants on the occlusal surfaces of at least one of the permanent teeth; (2) in-office fluoride application (fluoride gel, fluoride varnish, or fluoride rinse); (3) over-the-counter at-home fluoride rinse; (4) sugarless gum; and (5) at-home regimen of chlorhexidine rinse. Empirical subgroups of dentists with a similar preventive orientation were formed using a hierarchal cluster procedure.
Results: 529 dentists responded to the survey. In-office fluoride and over-the-counter fluoride were the most commonly reported methods of prevention, whereas chlorhexidine and sugarless gum were recommended less often across all groups. The cluster analysis identified 3 homogenous subgroups of dentists. We labeled these subgroups as selective users (n=339), at-home preference (n=75), and in-office preference (n=111). The majority of dentists from the AL/MS, FL/GA, MN, SK regions were selective users of various preventive treatments. MN dentists had a strong preference for at-home fluoride regimen, whereas AL/MS, FL/GA, and SK had a moderate preference. The most common profile among PDA dentists was the in-office preference.
Conclusion: This study suggests regional differences in the selection of preventive treatment. Dentists from the PDA region have a stronger preference for in-office preventive treatments than other regions. Support: NIDCR-NIH U01-DE 16746 and 16747.