Randomized Trial of Motivational Interviewing to Prevent Early Childhood Caries in American Indian Children

Abstract

The findings of this study suggest that motivational interviewing focusing on parental behaviors may not be as effective as previously hoped for slowing the development of childhood caries in some high-risk groups. Furthermore, social factors may be even more salient determinants of oral health than what we previously supposed, perhaps interfering with the capacity to benefit from behavioral strategies that have been useful elsewhere. The improvement of children's oral health in high-risk populations characterized by poverty and multiple related life stresses may require more holistic approaches that address these formidable barriers.