Description

The Child Dental Control Assessment (CDCA-40) is an assessment tool used for monitoring and evaluating children’s dental hygiene and behavior related to dental care. The CDCA-40 includes 40 questions covering various aspects of children’s dental behavior, including tooth brushing habits, behavior during dental visits, and perceptions of dental care.

Data Analysis and Use

Analyzing data from the CDCA-40 involves processing responses to extract useful information related to children’s dental hygiene and behavior. Key analysis procedures include:
Descriptive Statistics: Used to describe basic characteristics of the data, such as means, standard deviations, and percentage distributions.
Factor Analysis: Helps identify underlying factors that explain the relationships between different questionnaire items.
Reliability Analysis: Methods such as Cronbach’s alpha coefficient are used to assess the internal consistency of the questionnaire scales.
Correlational Analysis: Examines the relationships between different parameters, such as tooth brushing habits and frequency of dental visits.
The data can be used to understand children’s habits and attitudes towards dental care and to develop intervention strategies to improve oral hygiene. It can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of educational and intervention programs.

Purpose

The primary goal of the CDCA-40 is to assess children’s behavior and habits concerning dental care. The tool aims to improve intervention strategies for promoting better oral hygiene habits and reducing problems related to dental care. It can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of educational and intervention programs.

Calibration

Calibration of the CDCA-40 involves collecting data from a representative sample of children to ensure the reliability and validity of the tool. This process generally includes:
Creating Reference Standards: Establishing benchmarks or reference standards that allow for the comparison of a child’s results with those of the general population.
Confirming Reliability and Validity: Conducting studies to confirm the tool’s reliability through techniques such as internal consistency checks and analytical assessment of validity.

References

For studying and understanding the CDCA-40, useful sources of literature include:
Burt, B. A., & Eklund, S. A. (2005). Dentistry, Dental Practice, and the Community. Elsevier Health Sciences.
(Provides general information on dental practice and the importance of assessment tools like the CDCA-40.)
Locker, D. (2003). Measuring Oral Health: A Guide to Assessing Oral Health and Quality of Life. University of Toronto Press.
(Offers an overview of tools for measuring oral health.)
Aartman, I. H., & Schuller, A. A. (2009). The Role of Child Behavior and Parental Attitudes in Oral Health Outcomes. Journal of Dental Research, 88(1), 21-25.
(Study on the impact of children’s behavior and parental attitudes on oral health.)