Hall Technique: Knowledge and Attitudes of Pediatric Dentists in the United States

Purpose: To assess pediatric dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and factors associated with the use of the Hall technique (HT) in the United States. Methods: An electronic questionnaire with a cover letter and consent form was sent to 6,277 active members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) between April 15 and June 1, 2019. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were calculated. Results: The response rate was 9.4 percent; 52 percent were males, 76 percent were white non-Hispanic, and 83 percent were in private practice. Ninety-seven percent were familiar with HT, and 39 percent had used it. Factors significantly associated with the use of HT were female dentists (P=0.01), patients with Medicaid insurance (P<0.001), rural locations (P=0.02), academic and community/public health clinics (P=0.004). Compared with AAPD members in the Western region, pediatric dentists in the North-Central region were more likely to use HT (odds ratio [OR] =2.50, 1.22 to 5.13, P=0.01) but pediatric dental residents in the North-Central region were less likely to use it (OR= 0.39,0.18 to 0.84, P=0.02). Conclusion: Use of HT was considered a viable alternative in the management of dental caries. Despite the limitations of the technique, pediatric dentists' practice location and place of residency were significantly associated with its use.