Randomized Trial of Motivational Interviewing to Prevent Early Childhood Caries in American Indian Children

In a randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) combined with enhanced community services (MI + ECS) was compared with ECS alone for reducing dental caries in American Indian children on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The intervention was developed and delivered with extensive tribal collaboration.

A total 579 mother-newborn dyads were enrolled and randomized to the MI + ECS and ECS groups. They were followed for 36 mo. Four MI sessions were provided, the first shortly after childbirth and then 6, 12, and 18 mo later. Both groups were exposed to ECS, which included public service announcements through billboards and tribal radio, as well as broad distribution of brochures on behavioral risk factors for early childhood caries (ECC), toothbrushes, and toothpaste. MI impact was measured as decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces (dmfs). Secondary outcomes included decayed surfaces, caries prevalence, and maternal oral health knowledge and behaviors. Modified intention-to-treat analyses were conducted. Eighty-eight percent of mothers completed at least 3 of 4 MI sessions offered.

After 3 y, dmfs was not significantly different for the 2 groups (MI + ECS = 10, ECS = 10.38, P = 0.68). In both groups, prevalence of caries experience was 7% to 9% after 1 y, 35% to 36% at 2 y, and 55% to 56% at 3 y. Mean knowledge scores increased by 5.0, 5.3, and 5.9 percentage points at years 1, 2, and 3 in the MI + ECS group and by 1.9, 3.3, and 5.0 percentage points in the ECS group (P = 0.03), respectively. Mean maternal oral health behavior scores were not statistically significantly different between the treatment arms.

In summary, the MI intervention appeared to improve maternal knowledge but had no effect on oral health behaviors or on the progression of ECC (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01116726).

The findings of this study suggest that motivational interviewing focusing on parental behaviors may not be as effective as previously hoped for slowing the development of childhood caries in some high-risk groups. Furthermore, social factors may be even more salient determinants of oral health than what we previously supposed, perhaps interfering with the capacity to benefit from behavioral strategies that have been useful elsewhere. The improvement of children’s oral health in high-risk populations characterized by poverty and multiple related life stresses may require more holistic approaches that address these formidable barriers.