Objectives: To evaluate the characteristics and content of YouTube™ videos created by patients undergoing orthodontic fixed appliance treatment and to assess the content accuracy of these videos. Design: A mixed-methods quantitative and qualitative study. Data source: YouTube™ webpage. Methods: The term ‘braces’ was used to search for relevant videos on the YouTube™ webpage between 18 August and 30 August 2020, with no limits imposed regarding how long the video had been available on YouTube™. Videos were included if they were made by patients and were predominantly about patients’ experiences during treatment with labial fixed appliances. The main themes/subthemes of the included videos were identified. A checklist was then developed to assess accuracy of the video content for two of the main themes and the videos were assessed against the checklist. Results: The video search identified 350 videos, of which 64 were selected as potentially eligible; 41 were subsequently excluded as they related primarily to the bond up/debond experience or had minimal information about orthodontics. This meant that 23 videos were ultimately included for analysis. Six main themes were identified in the videos: problems with fixed appliances, effects of fixed appliances, oral hygiene maintenance, dietary advice, treatment duration/appointment frequency and auxiliaries used with fixed appliances. From the 23 videos, 20 were assessed against the checklist for content accuracy related to two selected themes: oral hygiene maintenance and dietary advice. The majority of videos had low content accuracy scores, indicating that important and relevant content was generally missing. Conclusion: Several included videos focused on oral hygiene maintenance and dietary advice associated with fixed appliances; however, the content was incomplete and not always accurate. This is concerning to the profession, and it is therefore recommended that clinicians consider collaborating with patients to produce videos that are patient-centred and that also contain accurate information.

INTRODUCTION:Research overviews may be undertaken to identify gaps in the literature, evaluate existing systematic reviews (SRs), and summarize evidence. This paper aims to profile overviews that have been conducted in orthodontics and related interventions since 2012 and to evaluate the degree of overlap among these overviews. METHODS:Overviews published between January 1, 2012 and June 20, 2023 were identified using an electronic search involving Google Scholar and PubMed. A descriptive summary was produced, and citation matrices were used to evaluate the percentage of overlap between overviews using corrected covered area and covered area. This was classified as slight, moderate, high, or very high. RESULTS:A total of 35 overviews were identified across a wide range of topics. Eight overviews included <10 SRs; 21 had 10-20 SRs; and 6 included >20 SRs (median no. of SRs per overview, 15; range, 3-62). Meta-analysis was conducted in only 5 overviews. Overlap between overviews on the same topic ranged from slight (2.7%) to very high (53.8%). CONCLUSIONS:Almost all overview topics address treatments and their effects, with a wide variation in the number and quality of SRs included. There is considerable overlap in some orthodontic overviews, suggesting unnecessary duplication and research waste. Researchers should be encouraged to focus on primary data collection to add more high-quality data to SRs, which will ultimately enhance the yield from secondary and tertiary orthodontic research.

INTRODUCTION:Feedback is an invaluable educational tool and is now widely used in education, despite some of the challenges and barriers to its implementation. Effective feedback in medical and dental education is a driver for improvement, by recognising good performance and identifying areas where improvement is required. This, in turn, can translate into better patient care, as feedback can positively impact on clinical performance. To date, there is limited literature about feedback mechanisms in orthodontic training and trainees' perceptions of how effective the various methods are. METHODS:This was a national, cross-sectional questionnaire investigating orthodontic trainees' perceptions of effective feedback relating to chairside clinical training. An electronic questionnaire was developed and an invitation to participate was disseminated via the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) to postgraduate orthodontic trainees in the United Kingdom (UK). The population included all trainees at ST1-5 level who were BOS members, aged 25 years and above, including those appointed by Health Education England (HEE) and those who were non-HEE appointed. The questionnaire was open for an 11-week period between 10 February 2022 and 28 April 2022. RESULTS:The questionnaire was completed by 68 participants with a mean age of 30.7 years and the response rate was approximately 30%. Trainees agreed that effective feedback improved their clinical skills and performance (99%) and 82% felt comfortable requesting feedback from their supervisors. The main perceived barrier to obtaining high quality in-depth feedback was perceived time pressures for educators (87%). CONCLUSIONS:This study demonstrated positive findings regarding trainees' perceptions of feedback processes in UK clinical orthodontic training. Perceived barriers to effective feedback included time constraints and the perception that trainers were too busy to provide in-depth feedback.

Introduction Increased preoperative anxiety may have an adverse impact on the patient experience. This qualitative study therefore aimed to explore those factors affecting anxiety in the approach to orthognathic surgery. Methods A total of 28 orthognathic patients who had completed their presurgical orthodontic treatment and were within 8 weeks before their surgery underwent one-to-one in-depth interviews. The interviews explored their experience in the preoperative period, with the focus on aspects relating to anxiety. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and data were then analyzed using a thematic framework approach. Results Eight themes and associated subthemes were identified. The first theme related to time and described the approach to the surgery and the transience of the side effects. The second theme discussed control and how the need for control may affect anxiety; the third focused on fear related to the surgery and the element of “the unknown.” The fourth theme highlighted the importance of trust between patients and clinicians, whilst the fifth focused on information and its delivery, which was crucial for managing uncertainty. The sixth theme centered on expectations about the surgery and the patient’s ability to cope, and the seventh discussed coping strategies that were effective in alleviating anxiety. The final theme focused on the benefits of a strong, effective support system in reducing anxiety. No distinct typologies emerged from the data. Recommendations for consideration by clinicians are presented. Conclusions The findings provide a novel insight into the multifactorial nature of preoperative anxiety in orthognathic patients and also highlight the important role of the clinical team in creating a supportive environment to help reduce patient anxiety.

OBJECTIVE:To understand patients' motivations for pursuing treatment, to appreciate what information patients seek and to explore potential factors affecting decision making in adults considering, undergoing or who have had orthodontic treatment in the private sector. DESIGN:Cross-sectional questionnaire study. SETTING:Online questionnaire. PARTICIPANTS:A total of 209 (83% women, 16% men, 1% preferred not to say) completed responses were received. METHODS:Once piloted, the final survey was made available online to adults in the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (RoI) who were either considering having orthodontic treatment, currently undergoing treatment or had recently completed treatment in the private sector. RESULTS:The most commonly selected motivating factor was to 'improve the appearance of my teeth' (82%). The information sought related predominantly to treatment duration (64%), potential end results (56%), types of appliances that were available (55%) and cost (52%). The two most commonly reported social factors that had influenced participants to consider treatment were 'seeing myself on social media' (31%) and 'it is more socially acceptable to have braces' (31%). CONCLUSION:While this area remains relatively underexplored in the literature, it is crucial to develop a comprehensive understanding due to the increasing number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment. This study not only reinforces the existing knowledge regarding adults seeking orthodontic treatment, such as the predominant role of aesthetics as a motivating factor, but also introduces some novel insights. Specifically, we highlight the influence of social factors on decision-making processes and the importance of effectively communicating the duration of treatment to patients.

Introduction: The curricula for UK dental specialty training have recently been under review and until 2024, completion of a research component during training in Dental Public Health, Oral Microbiology and Orthodontics has been mandatory (with an alternative route for Orthodontics involving the submission of two scientific papers for those trainees not wishing to undertake a higher degree). Anecdotally, some trainees in other dental specialties choose to undertake higher degrees alongside specialty training. Aims: The aims were to investigate how many dental specialty registrars study for higher degrees alongside specialty training, and whether undertaking a higher degree alongside specialty training has an impact on completion of training, research skills, research experience, patient care and career opportunities. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study design, involving the distribution of an online, anonymous questionnaire-based survey to UK dental specialty registrars in November and December 2022. Results: In total, 38 questionnaires were completed, representing a 7.7% response rate of the entire dental specialty registrar cohort in the UK and 42% of those who received it. Most respondents (76.3%) were either studying or had completed a clinically relevant higher degree prior to specialty training. Most respondents (76.3%) reported that the higher degree increased career opportunities and gave them additional skills. Conclusions: Dental specialty trainees who responded to this survey perceived the higher degree to be beneficial in terms of preparing for exams, gaining skills in critical appraisal and for increasing future career opportunities.

Orthognathic treatment is an important treatment modality to manage severe dentofacial discrepancies. Patients awaiting orthognathic surgery often experience increased anxiety, which may adversely affect post-operative recovery and treatment satisfaction. This study investigated the effects of a number of factors on pre-operative anxiety in orthognathic patients. Seventy patients prospectively recruited from three orthognathic centres in the UK completed a pre-operative questionnaire that included validated scales for measuring anxiety, social support, resilience, and coping styles. Sociodemographic data and satisfaction with the information provided by the clinical team were also elicited from the questionnaire. Univariable analysis showed that social support from a significant other (p = 0.026), resilience (p < 0.001), and satisfaction with the information provided by the clinical team (p = 0.002) were significantly associated with reduced anxiety, whilst avoidance coping (p < 0.001) and coping through seeking social support (p = 0.006) were significantly related to increased anxiety. With the exception of coping by seeking social support, these relationships retained significance in a multivariable regression analysis. Neither gender nor ethnicity moderated the effects of social support on pre-operative anxiety. These findings suggest potential avenues for clinicians to address with future interventions to reduce pre-operative anxiety. Further qualitative research may provide greater clarity on the relationship between these variables and anxiety.

Pre-operative anxiety may adversely affect post-operative recovery and treatment satisfaction. This systematic review assessed the impact of social support on pre-operative anxiety in elective surgery patients. MEDLINE via Ovid, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL Plus, Emcare and LILACS were searched for publications (1950-2021). Fourteen studies were included for descriptive analysis and five for meta-analysis. The pooled estimate in the meta-analysis was r = -0.372 (95% CI: -0.578 to -0.122). Stronger social support was weakly associated with reduced pre-operative anxiety, but the quality of available evidence was low. The findings suggest potential benefit in enhancing utilisation of support networks before elective surgery.

Objective: To explore the experiences of young people and their parents regarding the impact on school performance due to time away from school for orthodontic appointments and to explore their views about a possible extension to the current service. Design: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Setting: UK district hospitals. Participants: A total of 11 pairs of interviewees: young people undergoing fixed appliances and their parents. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with young people and their parents. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. A framework approach was used to analyse the data. Results: A thematic analysis of the data identified five main themes which were as follows: (1) expectations of the treatment process and appointments; (2) impact of school absences and treatment; (3) appointments; (4) implications for young people, parents and others; and (5) satisfaction with treatment. These themes were then further subdivided and analysed. Conclusion: Young people and their parents felt that attending appointments for orthodontic treatment had minimal impact on a young person’s school performance. However, some young people did engage in coping mechanisms in order to ensure this was the case. Young people and their parents advised they were satisfied with the process of the treatment despite the time missed at school/work. Some young people and their parents saw a real benefit to appointments that could be fitted into a ‘NHS seven-day’ service model, but this did not apply to all interviewees.

Introduction: The need to extract permanent teeth as part of orthodontic treatment has been keenly debated over many decades. Changes in the frequency of extraction have been well documented; however, we continue to lack an understanding of what influences clinicians' decisions regarding extracting permanent teeth. Methods: Purposive sampling was undertaken to obtain representative views from primary care practitioners across Great Britain with a range of experience representing genders and wide geographic distribution. Twenty participants (9 female, 11 male) took part in in-depth, qualitative, 1-to-1 interviews based on a piloted topic guide. Interviews were conducted via video conferencing software with audio recording and verbatim transcription. Thematic analysis was performed with discussion and agreement to identify the main themes. Results: Five main themes were identified: (1) patient-related factors, such as age and features of the malocclusion, (2) operator factors, including the level of experience, (3) setting, with regard to geographic location and method of remuneration, (4) mechanical approaches, including variations in appliance systems; and (5) self-directed ongoing education, including both formal continuing professional development and informal learning from peers. These factors acted as barriers, enablers, or both in relation to nonextraction treatment. Conclusions: Five key influences on extraction decisions among orthodontists in Great Britain were identified. Extraction choices appear to be influenced by various interrelated factors, evolving over time and with increased experi-ence. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2023;163:483-90)

Objective: To investigate postgraduate student perceptions of face-to-face and distance education on a three-year programme in orthodontics. Design: Cross-sectional qualitative study. Setting: UCL Eastman Dental Institute, London. Participants: A total of 25 current postgraduate orthodontic students in the first, second and third years of training were included in this study. Methods: Postgraduate student perceptions were obtained by conducting online focus groups on Zoom Video Communications Inc. A focus group topic guide was developed, and a facilitator was trained to host the focus groups. There were separate focus groups for each year group, with a maximum of five participants in each group. The focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were assessed by all members of the research team and analysed using a thematic content analysis, with a framework approach to identify themes and subthemes regarding perceptions of distance and face-to-face education. Results: A total of 25 students participated. Six key themes were identified relating to student perceptions of face-to-face and distance education: (1) social support network; (2) technology; (3) learning experience; (4) education environment; (5) interpersonal interactions; and (6) effective teaching/learning. There were perceived benefits and drawbacks for both modes of teaching delivery. In particular, students highlighted the importance of reliable technology, peer support and accessibility of educational resources for their academic learning. Students favoured a blended approach to learning where practical skills were taught in person and some theoretical aspects taught remotely. Conclusion: The results aid the understanding of how educational tools and digital technology can enrich the student academic experience. The results provide important information for the future development and delivery of orthodontic postgraduate education.

Systematic reviews are intended to collate and analyze the evidence regarding a specific aspect of clinical practice in a drive for evidence-based health care.1 Unfortunately, many systematic reviews in medicine and dentistry2,3 conclude by stating that further evidence is required through well-designed randomized clinical trials.4-6 It has been mooted that within orthodontics, systematic reviews considerably outweigh the number of clinical trials7 with evidence that a substantial proportion of the former is limited or inconclusive.

Background Orthodontic treatment is a common health care intervention; treatment duration can be lengthy (2-3 years on average), and adherence to treatment advice is therefore essential for successful outcomes. It has been reported that up to 43% of patients fail to complete treatment, and there are currently no useful predictors of noncompletion. Given that the National Health Service England annual expenditure on primary-care orthodontic treatment is in excess of £200 million (US $267 million), noncompletion of treatment represents a significant inefficient use of public resources. Improving adherence to treatment is therefore essential. This necessitates behavior change, and interventions that improve adherence and are designed to elicit behavioral change must address an individual’s capability, opportunity, and motivation. Mobile phones are potentially an invaluable tool in this regard, as they are readily available and can be used in a number of ways to address an individual’s capability, opportunity, and motivation. Objective This study will assess the effectiveness and acceptability of a personalized mobile phone app in improving adherence to orthodontic treatment advice by way of a randomized controlled trial. Methods This study will be conducted in 2 phases at the Eastman Dental Hospital, University College London Hospitals Foundation Trust. Phase 1 is feasibility testing of the My Braces app. Participants will be asked to complete the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale. The app will be amended following analysis of the responses, if appropriate. Phase 2 is a randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness and acceptability of the My Braces app. Results This study was approved by the London – Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee on November 5, 2019 (reference 19/LO/1555). No patients have been recruited to date. The anticipated start date for recruitment to phase 1 is October 2020. Conclusions Given the availability, affordability, and versatility of mobile phones, it is proposed that they will aid in improving adherence to treatment advice and hence improve treatment completion rates. If effective, the applicability of this methodology to developing behavior change/modification interventions and improving adherence to treatment across health care provides an exciting opportunity. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04184739; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04184739 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/18021

Introduction In the UK, orthodontic speciality training takes place over three years full-time. In addition to the clinical training, there is an expectation that trainees undertake a higher degree. Currently, there is little evidence regarding the impact of undertaking a higher degree on specialist orthodontists. Aims Investigate UK orthodontists' perceptions of undertaking a higher degree alongside speciality training. Materials and methods A cross-sectional research study involving the distribution of an anonymous, descriptive, online, questionnaire-based survey between May and June 2021 via the British Orthodontic Society. Data were obtained in relation to the impact of undertaking a higher degree on the completion of speciality training, research skills, delivery of patient care and career opportunities. Results In total, 166 questionnaires were completed (approximately 13.3% response rate). Most respondents 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' that undertaking a higher degree had improved their scientific (77.1%) and critical appraisal skills (80.7%), job prospects (60.2%) and career opportunities (63.9%). Most respondents felt the benefits of the higher degree outweighed the associated costs (65.1%) and was a worthwhile component of training (69.3%). Conclusions Specialist orthodontists place a high value on undertaking a higher degree. The results of this questionnaire should be of importance to stakeholders involved in the development of the orthodontic curriculum.

Objectives: To obtain the views and opinions of specialist members of the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) and British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) in relation to (1) the multidisciplinary management of patients affected by molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) and (2) the diagnosis and management of MIH-affected first permanent molars (FPMs) in four clinical scenarios, and compare the responses to those of an expert panel consensus. Design: A prospective cross-sectional study. Setting: Part 1: Eastman Dental Institute and part 2: online questionnaire. Methods: Four clinical scenarios showing patients with differing severities of MIH affected FPMs were considered by a panel of orthodontists and paediatric dentists to agree on the severity of MIH and management. A 21-item online questionnaire sent to both specialist groups, after pilot study. The questionnaire covered demographics, access to multidisciplinary clinics, clinicians' opinions on various management aspects, and questions relating to the management of the same 4 clinical scenarios. Results: The overall response was 21.9% (20% of the orthodontists and 45% of the paediatric dentists). Approximately half of the respondents from both groups felt that these patients should be managed through a multidisciplinary treatment type clinic (49.0% of the orthodontists and 47.2% of the paediatric dentists). Only 40.3% of the orthodontists and 35.0% of the paediatric dentists agreed completely with the panel consensus on all management options. When assessing overall agreement on all four FPMs for all scenarios, agreement was predicted by severity of MIH (P<0.001) and complexity of malocclusion (P<0.001) where more complex malocclusions and more severe MIH resulted in poorer agreement, but specialty was not a significant predictor (P=0.21). Conclusion: The majority of the respondents from both groups, felt that managing patients with MIH affected FPMs is challenging. Approximately half of the orthodontists and the paediatric dentists, felt that MIH affected patients should be managed through a multidisciplinary type clinic. Managing more severe cases on multidisciplinary clinics is indicated, to incorporate specialist input into decision making.

Objectives: To investigate and compare the extent of shared decision making (SDM) in orthodontics from the perspective of patients, clinicians and independent observers. Design: A cross-sectional, observational study. Setting: NHS teaching hospital. Participants: A total of 31 adult patients and their treating clinicians were included in the study. Methods: The extent of SDM in new patient orthodontic consultations was measured using three versions of a validated instrument: the self-administered patient dyadic-OPTION scale; the self-administered clinician dyadic-OPTION scale; and an independent observer-rated OPTION12 scale. Patients and clinicians completed the 12-item dyadic-OPTION questionnaire independently at the end of the consultation to rate their perceived levels of SDM. The consultations were also audio-recorded and two calibrated raters independently rated the extent of SDM in these consultations using the OPTION12 scale. Results: There was excellent inter-rater reliability between the two independent raters using the OPTION12 scale (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.909). The mean patient, clinician and independent observer OPTION scores for SDM were 90.4% (SD 9.1%, range 70.8% to 100%), 76.2% (SD 8.95%, range 62.5% to 95.8%) and 42.6% (SD 17.4%, range 13.5% to 68.8%), respectively. There was no significant correlation between the OPTION scores for the three groups (ICC = −0.323). Conclusions: The results showed that generally high levels of SDM were perceived by patients and clinicians but lower levels of SDM were scored by the independent observers. However, it could be argued that the patient’s perception of SDM is the most important measure as it is their care that is affected by their involvement.

Introduction: Retention is a crucial part of orthodontic treatment; however, patients often do not wear their retainers as advised. The British Orthodontic Society developed the ‘Hold that Smile’ campaign in 2017, to improve patient knowledge about retention. Information is provided in two formats: a cartoon and a conventional film. Objective: To assess whether patients find the ‘Hold that Smile’ videos useful and whether they improved patients’ intended retainer wear. The gold standard was that 90% of patients should intend to wear their retainers in the long term after watching the videos. Design: National multicentre audit. Setting: Nine units in the UK. Methods: Patients aged ⩾ 10 years, in fixed appliances or retention, watched the retainer videos and then completed a questionnaire that was designed specifically for this audit. Each unit collected data for approximately 30 patients. Results: Data were collected for 278 patients in total. The average age was 17.9 years; 64.4% of patients were female and 35.6% were male. Most patients (86.3%) watched both videos and, of these, 44.1% preferred the film, 31.3% preferred the cartoon and 24.6% had no preference. The majority of patients (81.3%) felt that the film provided them with new information, compared with a lower percentage (48.5%) for the cartoon. More patients said they would recommend the film (76.3%) compared with the cartoon (63.3%). Before watching the videos, 77.0% of patients felt they knew about long-term retainer wear and 74.3% of those intended to wear their retainers in the long term. After watching the videos, 96.4% of all patients thought they would now wear their retainers long term. Conclusion: After watching the videos, there was a notable increase in the number of patients planning to wear their retainers long term and the gold standard was met. Therefore, these videos may be beneficial in improving understanding and compliance with retention.

Objectives: To qualitatively explore, and analyse, patients' expectations before the start of fixed appliance orthodontic treatment and determine whether typologies exist. Design: A prospective cross-sectional qualitative study, which involved 13 patients (aged 12-15 years). Setting: NHS Hospital Orthodontic Department (UK). Materials and methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with patients who consented to participate before the start of fixed appliance orthodontic treatment. The in-depth interview data were transcribed and then managed using a framework approach, followed by associative analysis. Results: The in-depth interviews revealed two major themes and associated subthemes which were: first, patients' expectations about the treatment process and outcome; and second, patients' expectations of themselves during and after treatment. Three typologies related to patients' expectations of the orthodontic treatment process were also identified. The first group of participants had minimal expectations of the treatment process, did not anticipate discomfort or pain and did not anticipate that treatment would cause disruption to their daily life. The second group of participants had expectations that treatment would involve arch wire changes, dental extractions and result in some discomfort/pain, which would cause some limited disruption to their daily life (moderate expectations). The third type of participant had expectations of the treatment process involving arch wire changes and dental extractions, and anticipated that the discomfort and pain experienced would significantly affect their daily life (marked expectations). Conclusions: These results provide the clinician with information about patient typologies and provide the clinician with some direction when communicating with their patients and managing their expectations before the start of treatment.

OBJECTIVES:To assess and compare patient and clinician perceptions of patient-centredness for adults about to commence active orthodontic treatment, and to assess whether the following variables affected perceptions of patient-centredness: patient gender and age; clinician gender and grade; and stage of treatment. DESIGN:A prospective, cross-sectional questionnaire study. SETTING:Eastman Dental Hospital, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust. PARTICIPANTS:A total of 112 adult patients and 30 clinicians completed 224 questionnaires (112 patient and 112 clinician questionnaires). METHODS:A validated, dyadic questionnaire, the '9-Item Patient Perception of Patient-Centredness' (PPPC), was used to collect data from both patients and their corresponding clinicians after initial assessment or records/treatment planning consultations. Total PPPC scores (possible score range = 9-36) were calculated for each patient and clinician to ascertain the extent to which they perceived they were engaging in patient-centredness, where higher scores corresponded with better performance. RESULTS:Patients and clinicians perceived high engagement in patient-centredness with median scores of 32/36 and 29/36, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between total scores with patients perceiving consultations to be more patient-centred than clinicians (P < 0.001). None of the variables (patient gender and age, clinician gender and grade, stage of treatment) were statistically significant. CONCLUSION:Patients and clinicians both perceived high engagement in patient-centredness. Patients perceived consultations to be significantly more patient-centred than clinicians (P < 0.001).

BACKGROUND AND AIM:Dental trauma is a common public health issue that can be associated with high costs and lifelong treatment. Children and parents should have the correct information regarding its management to reduce the potential long-term sequelae. Understanding their information seeking behaviour is therefore important to ensure that they are able to access, understand and retain the relevant information. The aim of this study was to investigate (a) the different ways that patients undertaking treatment for dental trauma, and their parents, look for relevant information, (b) their information needs, and (c) their preferred format of information.MATERIAL AND METHODS:This was a two-phase study: Phase I involved in-depth interviews with 10 patients who were currently undergoing treatment for dental trauma, and 11 parents. In phase II, the themes and sub-themes identified from the interviews were used to develop patient and parent questionnaires, which were distributed to all trauma patients and parents who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and who were attending the dental clinics from March to May 2014.RESULTS:Patients and parents had different concerns immediately following the trauma, during treatment and in the long term, and they wanted different forms of information to answer their concerns. Reliability was the main issue about trusting the information available in the Internet, social media and other online sources. Therefore, patients preferred to obtain information verbally from their dentist, while parents preferred written information.CONCLUSION:Patients and parents have different information needs, and these also vary at different stages of treatment. It is therefore important to customize the way information is provided for each group accordingly.