Caregiver satisfaction with interim silver diamine fluoride applications for their children with caries prior to operating room treatment or sedation

Objective To ascertain caregiver satisfaction with silver diamine fluoride (SDF) application(s) as an intermediate care path for their children with caries. Methods Caregivers were recruited at two community health centers when they arrived for a previously scheduled operating room/sedation appointment for their children with caries who had previously been treated with SDF. They were asked to complete a survey regarding their satisfaction with SDF treatment while they waited during their children's dental treatment. Results Caregivers overwhelmingly reported that they were satisfied with SDF treatment (81.3%), and that the black mark was not an issue for their children (91.7%) or themselves (87.5%). Moreover, their perception of their children's oral health quality of life was high. Conclusions By arresting caries, SDF offers an intermediate care path for pediatric patients for whom OR/sedation treatment was not immediately available. Moreover, most caregivers were satisfied with SDF treatment for their children.