Access to Personalised Caries Prevention (PCP) Programmes Determined by Dentists: A Cross-sectional Study of Current and Potential PCP Adopters in Japan and Their Knowledge of Caries Risk
Personalised caries prevention (PCP) programmes – dental caries prevention programmes which are based on caries risk assessments (CRAs) – are still a new service among the Japanese people. According to Rogers’ diffusion theory of innovation, key persons at this early phase of diffusion have greater knowledge of innovations. We hypothesised that difficulty accessing PCP programmes is hampering their widespread diffusion. The aim of this study is to investigate this hypothesis by: (1) estimating the percentage of PCP adopters, (2) summarising reasons for patients not receiving PCP programmes, and (3) determining if knowledge of caries risk is linked to access to PCP, among an adult group (aged 20+) sampled through a non-profit organisation (PSAP) whose purpose is promoting risk assessment of caries and periodontal disease. This study uses questionnaires with: patients of previously-enrolled PSAP dental members (group A: N=389), patients of newly-enrolled PSAP dental members (group B: N=78), and newly-enrolled PSAP public members (group C: N=68). The main outcome variables are PCP adoption by patients, reasons for not receiving PCP programmes, percentage of respondents choosing eight caries risk factors/indicators, and the total number of chosen risk factors/indicators. The application rate of PCP programmes was significantly lower in group C, at 27.9% (99% CI=13.4–42.5), than in group A, at 83.0% (99% CI=71.4–94.7). The principal reason given by Non-PCP adopters in group C for not receiving PCP programmes was that this service was not provided by their dentist, although they showed better results regarding knowledge of caries risk than Non-PCP adopters in group AB (combined groups A and B). Accessing a PCP programme was determined based on the services dentists provide; patients’ knowledge of caries risk was not linked to PCP access. Further efforts are necessary to increase the availability of PCP programmes
