503 - Parent Satisfaction in Task Strip Utilization in Improving Oral Hygiene in Children with Autism

Purpose: The purpose of this continuation research study is to measure parent/guardian satisfaction with the utilization of task strips in children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over a period of two months. The study will evaluate aspects of parental satisfaction from overall hygiene satisfaction, initial implementation, ease of use, and perceived child behavioral response to oral hygiene.

Methods: This study will build on the previous research with a convenience sample of 30 patients with ASD at the Mailman Segal Dental Clinic who are under the age of 8 with a plaque score of 2 or more using the Silness and Low plaque index. Parents will be given pre/post survey based on at-home hygiene depending on the improvement of the children during the 2-month study. Upon retrieval of data, a statistical analysis will be conducted to evaluate the results.

Results: Results Pending- study ongoing

Expected Results/

Conclusion: Based on the incomplete pilot study performed by a previous resident, promising preliminary results demonstrated a reduction in plaque scores of patients with ASD using the visual task strip.  The previous study demonstrated promising results with parents and professionals in demonstrating oral hygiene to children with autism by allowing the child to desensitize with the materials to be frequently used.