Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the availability of appropriate and prompt care following dental trauma in children and to investigate the influencing factors from the viewpoints of parents and medical professionals. To better understand how to increase access to dental care following trauma, the study is crucial. Both quantitative and qualitative elements were included in the method. Parents of dental trauma patients who applied to Ege University’s Department of Pedodontics between January 2015 and June 2016 were the target population for the quantitative method. The survey on traumatic experiences received responses from 140 parents. The percentage of participants was 62.78%. The variables covered in the questions included first admission to a health facility, length of stay, availability of diagnostics and treatment options, referral from the facility, and sociodemographic details about the family. An algorithm for treatment priority of the case, travel time to treatment, and the appropriate intervention were used to determine timely and appropriate treatment access. Thirty health professionals and ten parents were interrogated in depth for the qualitative technique utilising a semi-structured questioning plan. The interview texts underwent thematic analysis. The level of timely and appropriate treatment access was quite low. It is recommended that dental care facilities should be more widely dispersed and that dental facilities housing qualified dentists should be built. Cooperation between medical and dental institutions should be promoted, and performance based payment should be reorganised [1-5].