Fluoride Varnish: Knowledge, Preferences and Practices of General and Pediatric Dentists.

To determine the use of fluoride varnish (FV) to prevent dental caries and explore related factors, a survey was mailed to all 540 licensed general and pediatric dentists in eight Western New York counties. Of 193 surveys analyzed, 47.5% of dentists used FV in children. Only 44% accurately assessed high-risk cases for caries. Dentists serving children under age 2 and those correctly assessing high-risk children for caries were more likely to use FV in children under 7. Only 28% correctly recommended the first visit at 6/12 months; 38.7% recommended age 3. The authors concluded that FV was underutilized, suggesting a need for guide-line based strategies.