Table 1.

Summary of Consultation Focus Groups: comments on draft questionnaire

Questionnaire characteristics	Comments
Content	“Appropriate questions”
	“All main issues covered”
Length	“o.k.”
Concept of time	“They have no concept of time at all”
	“… they don’t know what 7 days is. Maybe a calendar type thing, like Easter, may be useful”
	“..no comprehension of 4 weeks”
Language/vocabulary	“We don’t use the word “pain” or “ache”. I would say either “hurt” or “sore” instead”
	“My children don’t take “hot drinks”. Milk is warm but never hot”
Prompts/cards	“The smiley faces is a good system. They also use them in the nursery. Simpler faces are ok; 5 faces may be too much for a 5-year-old”
	“Need to remind them it is about their teeth”