Children’s oral health: Are dentists and physicians prepared enough? A cross-sectional interdisciplinary survey carried out in North Italy

PURPOSE: Physicians and dentists have a central role in preventing and managing oral health problems in children. This survey aimed to evaluate their knowledge and attitudes towards paediatric oral health. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted via an anonymous questionnaire distributed to healthcare professionals in the province of Milan, Italy, assessing knowledge of paediatric dentistry and exploring attitudes towards clinical advice for improving or maintaining children's oral health. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all items; the total number of correct answers served as a measure of participants' preparedness. Comparisons were conducted using Pearson's Chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test and ANOVA, followed by Tukey's post hoc test. RESULTS: Overall, 843 healthcare professionals participated (424 physicians and 419 dentists). Comparison between physicians and dentists revealed differences in knowledge and attitudes, with dentists achieving higher scores (p < 0.01), although variability in responses was evident in both groups. Dentists demonstrated superior knowledge concerning the number of primary teeth (99.52% vs. 81.13%, p < 0.01) and the effectiveness of sealants (96.9% vs. 82.08%, p < 0.01), whilst physicians recognised that toothpaste with 500 ppm F was not suitable for all children (59.91% vs. 57.28%, p = 0.48) and understood that initial caries lesions can be reversed (86.79% vs. 66.83%, p < 0.01). ANOVA revealed variability across health professionals with different specialties (F-statistic: 9.59 for physicians, 12.40 for dentists; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Dentists showed greater preparedness than physicians; however, variability remained, partly attributable to inconsistent guidelines, underscoring the need for targeted educational and harmonised recommendations.