IFDH Orthodontic Hygiene Practices Survey

In April 2024, the IFDH fielded a survey to better understand global dental hygiene practices with orthodontic patients. This was the 9th in a series of surveys to help identify opportunities for future educational programs. See the PowerPoint summary and PDF file at the bottom of this page.

Demographics

The survey was sent to 34 national associations. There were 268 respondents, representing 18 countries. The top 5 countries with respondents were:

Italy       23%
Canada 16%
Korea    12%
USA        12%
Israel     7%

• Respondents were well-balanced across years of practicing dental hygiene.
• 55% of respondents reported having a Bachelor’s degree or Diploma
• 64% work in a private practice setting
• 12% are in an independent dental hygiene practice.

Topline Results

• 68% of respondents see patients with fixed or removable orthodontics once a week or more often.
• 63% of respondents said most or all of their orthodontic patients are children/adolescents.
• The majority of respondents agreed that poor oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment has negative consequences, including: poor esthetics, like white spots (90%), increased risk of oral disease (89%), extended chair time (87%) and additional expenses for patients (82%).
• 94% of respondents agreed that “plaque control is just as important for patients with removable orthodontic appliances as fixed appliances.”
• Of products routinely recommended for daily self-care to patients with fixed or removable orthodontics, electric toothbrushes were rated highest for patient compliance.

Fixed Orthodontics

• 56% of respondents said most or all of their orthodontic patients have FIXED orthodontics.
• Gingivitis and poor plaque control are common conditions experienced by fixed orthodontic patients.
• Interdental brushes (83%) and electric toothbrushes (69%) are the two most common oral hygiene products respondents routinely recommend to patients with FIXED orthodontics.

Removable Orthodontics

• 26% of respondents said most or all of their orthodontic patients have REMOVABLE orthodontics.
• Electric toothbrushes (77%) and dental floss (72%) are the two most common oral hygiene products respondents routinely recommend to patients with REMOVABLE orthodontics.

Full results are available in the PowerPoint summary and PDF file below:

Click here to save the PowerPoint summary with detailed results.

Click here to save PDF file with detailed results

We would like to thank the respondents for taking time to complete the survey. The information is very useful and will help guide future educational learning opportunities.

The IFDH thanks Procter & Gamble (Crest/Oral-B) for supporting this project.