Carol Kunzel, PhD, Nancy Pancko, Julissa Demorizi, and Dennis A. Mitchell, DDS, MPH. School of Dental and Oral Surgery, Columbia University, 630 West 168th St., New York, NY 10032, 212-304-7176, ck60@columbia.edu

The primary objective of this study is to describe the oral symptoms and self-care behaviors of pediatric patients, under 11 years of age, who presented with non-traumatic dental emergencies to the emergency pediatric dental clinic of the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery in Northern Manhattan, New York City from January through November 2001. The children's caregivers received a post-emergency treatment phone call by caseworkers to schedule and/or provide a reminder about subsequent dental appointments for the child. At the time of the phone call, data on oral symptom appraisal and oral management strategies for the children (n=250) were collected. Fifty-five percent of the caregivers stated that they tried to treat the child's problem before coming to the emergency dental clinic. Of the caregivers administering prior treatment, 81% used an over-the-counter analgesic product to treat the child's symptoms, while 46.3% treated the child's symptoms for two days or more before coming to the clinic. Eighty-eight percent of the children experienced pain prior to their emergency visit. Of the children experiencing pain, 35.6 % had pain for 2-3 days, while 28.4% had pain for 4 days or more. Sixty-nine percent of the children had difficulty eating prior to the emergency dental visit, while 31.5% of this group experienced such difficulty for 4 days or more. Findings indicate that prior to arrival at the emergency pediatric dental clinic, a substantial proportion of children under 11 years of age experienced pain and discomfort, and a substantial proportion received self-care from their caregivers. Supported by the Mayday Foundation.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Describe the oral symptoms of children with non-traumatic dental disease who present to the emergency dental clinic.
• Describe the self-care behaviors of these children and their caregivers prior to their emergency visit.
• Discuss relations among oral symptoms, self-care, and formal dental care within this group of children utilizing emergency dental services for non-traumatic dental disease.

Keywords: Children, Emergency Department/Room

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.