Assessment of parents comprehension of orthodontic consent within Jordanian population

Objectives: To investigate the comprehension of the consent among the parents of Jordanian orthodontic patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment, using the verbal explanation supported with the University hospital consent leaflet. Materials and methods: 32 consecutive parents of patients, aged 12-17 years, and about to undergo orthodontic treatment at the University Hospital, received information about risk and benefits of fixed orthodontic treatment, using verbal explanation supported with the University hospital consent leaflet. Parents were asked a series of open-ended question to evaluate their comprehension of the information presented in the consent. Results: Parents answered correctly the questions related to straightening of the teeth as a benefit of orthodontic treatment, whether they should inform their orthodontist about any previous injuries to the patient’s teeth, and if pain is expected due to orthodontic treatment. However, more than half of the parents failed to answer the questions related to improvement of gum and teeth health as a benefit of orthodontic treatment, root resorption as a risk of orthodontic treatment and the importance of following diet instructions to reduce the risk of white spot lesions. Conclusion: Parents do not recall root damage as a risk of orthodontic treatment nor diet advice to reduce the risk of white spot lesions, which requires a special attention from the orthodontist to reinforce this information at the beginning of any orthodontic treatment.