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.