A paired comparison of dental care in Canadians with Down syndrome and their siblings without Down syndrome

Objective. To test the hypothesis that, controlling for age, Canadians with Down syndrome (DS) have dental care that is different to that of their siblings without DS. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of parents of children with DS among members of the Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS), using a validated questionnaire. Parents were asked to complete two versions of the questionnaire: one for their child with DS and another for the sibling closest in age without DS. A total of 2327 questionnaires were distributed; 1221 questionnaires for people with DS and 950 for siblings without DS were returned. A paired analysis (McNemar test) of dental care indicators was performed on data from 938 family pairs, stratifying for age. Results: For all the dental care indicators and age groups, many respondents indicated the same behaviours or experiences in their child with DS and a sibling without DS. However, depending on the particular form of dental care and the age group, 0-47% of families reported discordant dental care experiences for their child with DS and a sibling without DS. The greatest differences were observed for yearly consults (P=0.029), restorations (P<0.001), fluoride therapy (P=0.013) and extractions (P=0.029). Conclusion: These observations suggest that compared to their siblings without DS, Canadians with DS are receiving different dental care.