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AJPH First Look, published online ahead of print Jun 28, 2005
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August 2005, Vol 95, No. 8 | American Journal of Public Health 1340-1344
© 2005 American Public Health Association
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.045955

RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

Perception of Dental Illness Among Persons Receiving Public Assistance in Montreal

Christophe Bedos, DDS, PhD, Jean-Marc Brodeur, DDS, PhD, Alissa Levine, PhD, Lucie Richard, PhD, Laurence Boucheron, MSc and Witnisse Mereus, MSc

Christophe Bedos is with the Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, and the Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Santé (GRIS), Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec. Jean-Marc Brodeur is with the Faculty of Medicine and the GRIS, Université de Montréal. Alissa Levine and Witnisse Mereus are with the Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University. Lucie Richard is with the Faculty of Nursing and the GRIS, Université de Montréal. Laurence Boucheron is with the Public Health Department of Montreal.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Christophe Bedos, DDS, PhD, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, 3640 University St, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 2B2 (e-mail: christophe.bedos{at}mcgill.ca).

Objectives. We examined rationales for behaviors related to dental care among persons receiving public assistance in Montreal, Quebec.

Methods. Fifty-seven persons receiving public assistance participated in 8 focus groups conducted in 2002. Sessions were recorded on audiotape and transcribed; analyses included debriefing sessions and coding and interpreting transcribed data.

Results. In the absence of dental pain and any visible cavity, persons receiving public assistance believed they were free of dental illness. However, they knew that dental pain signals a pathological process that progressively leads to tooth decay and, therefore, should be treated by a dentist. However, when in pain, despite recognizing that they needed professional treatment, they preferred to wait and suffer because of a fear of painful dental treatments and a reluctance to undertake certain procedures.

Conclusions. Persons receiving public assistance have perceptions about dental health and illness that prevent them from receiving early treatment for tooth decay, which may lead to disagreements with dentists when planning dental treatments.




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J Dent Educ., October 1, 2007; 71(10): 1340 - 1347.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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