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Objective: To investigate parental factors that influence knowledge, use, and acceptance of fluoride varnish (FLV) application. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during December 2021. A multistage sampling technique was used to recruit parents with children aged 3 to 6 years and residing in Eastern Saudi Arabia, excluding those working in the dental field. The questionnaire consisted of four parts: demographics, knowledge, previous experience, and acceptance of FLV and was pilot-tested and distributed online using social media. Results: < 0.05) influenced the parent's acceptance to apply FLV. While lack of knowledge about fluoride benefits (15%) was the main reason for parental refusal to apply FLV. Conclusions: The current study highlights the lack of knowledge and application of FLV among parents. There were more factors influencing mothers' acceptance of FLV application compared to fathers. Age, educational level, working in the medical field, perception, and patterns of dental visits were some of the identified factors. Dentists played a major role in parental knowledge and FLV acceptance. In a country with high caries prevalence, preventive programs such as FLV education and application are crucial.
Aljami et al. (2022) studied this question.