Oral health in well-childcare: Assessing the knowledge of physicians and nurses

Abstract

Integrating oral health into childcare pathways requires a cross-cutting approach that prioritizes health promotion and prevention through a multidisciplinary approach. This quantitative, cross-sectional study analyzed oral health knowledge among physicians and nurses in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) during well-child visits conducted between August and October 2024. Data were obtained using a self-administered online questionnaire and analyzed in SPSS 27.0 using Pearson's chi-square test and Poisson regression with robust variance. The sample consisted of 101 professionals—33 physicians and 67 nurses. Although only 19.8% had received training on early childhood oral health, 69.3% reported providing guidance on the topic during consultations, and 73.3% routinely referred children for dental evaluation. Nurses were more frequently responsible for delivering primary guidance, while physicians demonstrated greater knowledge regarding indications for frenectomy (p<0.001). The highest error rates were observed in questions related to prolonged antibiotic use and natal/neonatal teeth (73.3%). Overall, FHS physicians and nurses showed satisfactory knowledge of childhood oral health. Nonetheless, ongoing professional development is essential to ensure continuous improvement in the quality of care provided.