Table 4.
Physicians Knowledge, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy Regarding Fluoride Varnish, by Preventive Dental Care Skills Training
| Respondents (n = 345) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted % | |||
| Proportion of physicians who strongly agree/agree with the following statements: | Not trained | Trained | p-Value |
| FV knowledge/self-efficacy | |||
| I am familiar with the risks and benefits of FV* | 25.3 | 77.1 | <.01 |
| I feel confident that I can effectively apply FV for a child <5 years old | 19.3 | 64.2 | <.01 |
| I know how to obtain FV for my office | 11.6 | 50.9 | <.01 |
| Proportion who report being very familiar/somewhat familiar with the MassHealth FV reimbursement policy | 25.3 | 81.0 | <.01 |
| Attitudes toward FV | |||
| Fluoride varnish can be applied relatively easily and quickly (within 3 minutes) during a well-child visit (WCV) | 28.7 | 84.3 | <.01 |
| Fluoride varnish applications should be a routine part of WCVs | 17.7 | 63.4 | <.01 |
| Reimbursing medical providers for FV application during WCVs is an effective way to prevent tooth decay among MassHealth patients | 43.8 | 65.4 | .01 |
| There is enough time to apply FV during a WCV | 21.9 | 26.7 | .48 |
| My patients have many problems other than tooth decay. I need to focus on these other problems rather than FV | 40.1 | 44.5 | .59 |
| The way we see patients (flow) makes it difficult to integrate FV applications into my practice routine | 49.0 | 54.4 | .50 |
| There is a lack of parental interest in FV for their children | 17.7 | 22.0 | .59 |
*
Included in oral health knowledge score.