Parents Knowledge and Awareness of Orthodontics and Orthodontic Treatment in Saudi Arabia

Aim: To assess and study parents? knowledge and awareness of orthodontics and orthodontic treatment of their children. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital& Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from October to November 2020. A total of 218parents were included in this study. Demographic variables such as age, family status, occupation, nationality, education level and parents' knowledge as well as their awareness of orthodontics and orthodontic treatment were collected using a standardized, validated questionnaire consisting of 32 different statements. Results: The overall finding of the study showed a high level of knowledge and awareness of orthodontics and orthodontic treatment among parents although only 32.1% had previous orthodontic treatment, the majority of parents were university graduate (57.3%) and/or masters? graduates (31.2%) which may be correlated to their high knowledge of orthodontics. Most parents (93.6%) stated that a beautiful smile is essential for the healthy development of the child's personality. More than 75% of parents reported that orthodontic treatment usually takes years and more than 84% of parents stated that poor oral hygiene usually leads to failure of orthodontic treatment. A higher percentage (93.6%) of parents knew it is not advisable to start the orthodontic treatment before treating carious teeth, and59.2% of parents reported orthodontic treatments are usually expensive. A higher percentage (95%) of parents stated that orthodontic treatment should be provided by a specialist orthodontist only, 77.5% stated that patients with braces can visit the hygienist during the orthodontic treatment and 88.5% stated that diagnosis and treatment plan could not be formulated without taking dental impressions and x-rays. Approximately 55% stated that the best age of orthodontic treatment depends on child's gender and orthodontic problem, and a higher percentage (86.2%) of parents stated that orthodontic treatment could be done at any age with adequate oral and dental health. A higher percentage (81.7%)of parents stated that the most important factor in choosing their orthodontist is his/her reputation, more than the cost or the brand of the hospital or polyclinic and91.3% of the parents will treat their children that need the most treatment regardless of their gender, no preferential treatment between the boys or the girls. Around 60% said that if they cannot afford the treatment they delay it, and 40% said they may take a loan to pay for it, the numbers were close for boys and girls. Conclusion: It is concluded that there is a relatively high level of awareness and knowledge among parents in Saudi Arabia about orthodontics and orthodontic treatment. However, well designed randomized controlled trials with higher sample sizes are essential to validate our findings.