Validity of single‐item parental ratings of child oral health

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the validity of single-item parental ratings of child oral heath. METHODS: Data were collected during a study to assess the impacts of dental injury. Clinical examinations of children aged 11-14 years were undertaken that included measures of trauma, decay, treatment needs, and fluorosis. Children with trauma and a group of trauma-free children were followed-up. Parents were mailed a questionnaire along with a questionnaire for the child that contained a short form of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14 (CPQ11-14). Bivariate analyses examined associations between parents' ratings of their child's oral health, measures of dental disease, clinically defined treatment needs, and scores on the CPQ11-14. Logistic regression was used to see if the associations observed remained after controlling for access to dental care variables. RESULTS: Complete data were collected from 370 children and their parents. Parental ratings showed significant associations with most of the clinical indicators used and CPQ11-14 scores. Similar results were obtained when the data were analysed for subgroups defined by household income and mother's education. These associations remained after controlling for access to dental services. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that single-item parental ratings of child oral health have adequate construct validity.