Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Hindi Version of Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood for Assessing Oral Health-related Quality of Life in Indian Preschool Children

Background: A specialized tool was originally developed in Brazilian–Portuguese to assess how malocclusion in primary teeth affects the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children and their parents. Aim: To translate the Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood (MIS-EC) into Hindi, evaluate its reliability and validity, and determine its usefulness in assessing the impact of malocclusion on the OHRQoL of Indian preschool children and their parents. Methods: The Hindi MIS-EC was adapted using international translation guidelines and administered to 110 preschool children (3–5 years). Reliability was tested through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and test–retest methods, while validity was examined using convergent and discriminant analyses. Results: The Hindi MIS-EC demonstrated good reliability, with an overall Cronbach’s α of 0.71 and an ICC of 0.87. Discriminant validity (4.83) was significant, effectively distinguishing between children with and without malocclusion. Convergent validity was also confirmed, as the Hindi MIS-EC showed a significant correlation with the general health status of the child. Conclusion: The Hindi MIS-EC scale is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the effect of malocclusion on the OHRQoL of children aged 3–5 years in India.