Background: This study assessed dental services provided to children by general dental practitioners in Isfahan and explored factors influencing referrals to pediatric dentists.
Methods: Using convenience sampling, a cross-sectional study surveyed 252 general dental practitioners in Isfahan. An electronically administered, validated researcher-made questionnaire collected data on demographics, pediatric dental services, reasons for non-provision, and referral determinants. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and chi-squared tests (α=0.05). P-values less than 0.05 will consider statistically significant.‎
Results: Of the participants, 121 (48%) were female, with an overall mean age of 31.33±6.79 years. Seventy-five percent of general dental practitioners provided dental treatments to children, with a preference for those aged 6-14. Inadequate proficiency in pediatric dentistry emerged as the primary reason for non-provision. Commonly offered services included fissure sealant therapy (58.3%) for permanent teeth in preventive care, tell-show-do technique (55.2%) in behavior management, amalgam restoration of permanent teeth (66.3%) in restorative services, and direct pulp capping of permanent teeth (41.3%) in pulp therapy. Trauma management and space maintenance services were less frequently provided. Key factors influencing referrals included the specialist's reputation (20.8%) and their ability to handle patients effectively (16.6%).
Conclusions: The study reveals that three-fourths of general dental practitioners in Isfahan extend dental services to children. Notably, referrals were significantly influenced by the reputation and patient-handling proficiency of pediatric dentists. In light of these findings, implementation of continuous education programs aiming at augmenting the knowledge and skills of general dental practitioners in the field of pediatric dentistry is recommended.