Dental attendance patterns among mothers and their children in an area of social deprivation.

Abstract

Dental attendance behaviour was recorded for 358 children aged 5-6 and 10-11 years and their mothers living in a socially deprived area of south Manchester. Information obtained by questionnaire was verified by the local dentists concerned. Forty-four per cent of mothers and 61 per cent of children had attended a dentist in the previous 12 months. The mothers' attendance was a good predictor of children's attendance, although a substantial proportion of mothers who did not attend the dentist themselves did ensure the attendance of their children.