Dissemination and Use of the Children's Dental Pass in Germany

Purpose: Children's Dental Passes (CDP) are widely used in Germany for documentation and motivation of oral health in children, but have not been evaluated at all. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to analyse the distribution, use and acceptance of the CDP in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (MWP), Germany. Materials and Methods: Data were collected with a self-administered mail questionnaire sent to all registered dental offices in MWP. Results: The effective response rate to the survey was 18%, representing 21% of all dentists in the state. Almost all dentists (91%) considered the information contained in the CDP important. Additionally, 81% of dentists provided their patients with a CDP and 78% recorded the oral health status of their patients in it. 54% confirmed that the CDP's implementation has improved the consultation behaviour of young children's parents. 71% of dentists felt that the behaviour of their young patients during treatment has improved after the implementation of the CDP. Likewise, 61% of the respondents thought that oral health among children has improved after the introduction of the CDP. Conclusion: The CDP can be considered an important element for health promotion that offers a comprehensive approach to early prevention of oral health diseases of young children in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Keywords: Children's Dental Pass, community paediatric dentistry, oral health promotion