a day ago
Incomplete treatment... where is the parental responsibility?
Tribune News Network
Doha
While about 70 percent of parents complied with dental referrals under the Asnani School Programme and initiated treatment for their children, only 32 percent completed the full recommended treatment plan, a survey by the Asnani medical team has revealed.
Dr Najat Alyafei, manager of the Oral Health Promotion and Prevention Department at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), affirmed that as part of the commitment to following up on the dental treatment of students referred through the Asnani School Program, the Asnani medical team conducted a follow-up telephone survey during the 2024–2025 period.
The survey included 329 parents, aiming to assess their level of commitment to completing the dental treatment plans for their children who received services during the 2023–2024 academic year.
The results revealed that approximately 70 percent of parents (230 individuals) complied with dental referrals and initiated treatment for their children. However, only 73 students (32 percent) completed the full recommended treatment plan, indicating that the majority either stopped after the initial visit or were still in the process of receiving care.
Dr Alyafei noted that, among the 99 children who did not follow through with their referred dental treatment, the main barriers were investigated. It was found that 61 percent of the non-compliance reasons were parent-related.
The most common issues included incorrect beliefs by 19 parents—such as assuming treatment was unnecessary if the child experienced no pain, or that baby teeth would naturally fall out. Another key reason was parents not realising that treatment was needed, possibly because the child did not bring home the information sheet provided by the Asnani team after the oral examination.
Some parents gave no specific reason, while others cited barriers that prevented them from fulfilling their responsibility toward their child's oral health, such as being busy, appointments coinciding with exam periods, forgetting scheduled dates, or managing the pain at home with painkillers. A small fraction (2 percent) said their child's fear of the dentist was the main reason.
Appointment-related issues accounted for 38 percent of the non-compliance cases. The most common issue was not receiving a phone call or SMS about the appointment. Upon further investigation, it was found that during the 2023–2024 academic year, the PHCC Referral Department contacted parents up to three times to schedule appointments.
However, about one-third of them did not respond, leading to missed treatment opportunities. It was also noted that some contact numbers were outdated and had not been updated by parents. Dr Alyafei urged parents to answer phone calls, return missed calls, and update their contact information to avoid missing appointments. They may also walk in directly or use the 107 hotline for assistance in booking appointments.
Dr Najat Alyafei emphasized that the Asnani School Program for kindergarten and primary school students in government schools is a strong and effective model of school-based health prevention. It offers regular dental checkups and early interventions aimed at reducing oral health problems from an early age.
However, the success of this model depends fundamentally on collaboration between families, schools, and the health system. Dental caries is often a silent condition that does not show clear symptoms in its early stages, and the absence of pain does not mean the absence of disease. This makes it essential for parents to fully adhere to the recommended treatment plans to ensure better oral health outcomes for their children.
From this perspective, Dr Alyafei explained that oral health is a shared responsibility that goes beyond the family alone. It requires effective collaboration between parents, schools, and healthcare providers.
When families take initiative, schools provide guidance and promote healthy habits, and the health system delivers professional support, a strong foundation is laid for building a generation with better oral health and a brighter future.
