Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usage of caries risk assessment (CRA) by Croatian general practitioners and evaluate their knowledge and attitudes towards CRA.
Material and methods: A link to an online questionnaire was sent via e-mail to a sample of 1,500 general dentists in Croatia. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression analyses and chi-square tests.
Results: Of 257 respondents, 47% performed CRA routinely, but only 4.5% of them used a specific CRA form. The significance of different factors in the development of a treatment plan varied considerably among respondents. Furthermore, in 77% of the respondents CRA was a basis for planning individual caries prevention (ICP). The association between CRA and ICP, and between CRA and treatment planning was statistically significant (p=0.001). The practitioners doing CRA more often plan their treatment and ICP according to CRA. The use of CRA was not influenced by specialty and dentists' experience.
Conclusions: In a considerable percentage (53%) of Croatian general dentists, CRA is not part of their routine practice, and there is a strong association between the use of CRA and treatment plans and ICP. There is a need to promote the use of CRA in daily dental practice in Croatia.
Keywords: Croatia; Dental Caries; Preventive Dentistry; Primary Prevention; Risk Assessment.