Tooth decay is the most common reason children in England are admitted to hospital, and dental anxiety is a leading barrier to effective care. Yet these issues are not always obvious through clinical examination alone. Clinicians need reliable, child-friendly tools to hear directly from young patients and their families, so that care can be better targeted and more effective.
ePAQ-PD is a validated digital questionnaire developed in collaboration with Charles Clifford Dental Hospital at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Designed specifically for paediatric dental services, it collects patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) from children and their families, with a focus on tooth decay and dental anxiety.
Built to be simple, secure, and child-friendly, ePAQ-PD reduces administrative burden while maintaining clinic flow. Its key purpose is to give clinicians deeper insight into children’s experiences - from pain and anxiety to aesthetic concerns - ensuring these are considered in care planning alongside the clinical examination.
ePAQ-PD has been published in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry (2022) and presented at the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry, underlining its credibility as one of the first validated electronic PROMs designed for routine use in children’s dentistry.
The Benefits
For Patients
and Families
A child-friendly way to express pain, anxiety, and other concerns
Encourages open communication in a safe, private format
Helps families feel listened to and involved in the care process
More personalised treatment planning for better experiences and outcomes
For
Clinicians
Reliable PROMs data to support diagnosis and treatment planning
Insights that go beyond clinical examination alone
Consistent, standardised assessments across paediatric dental services
Helps maintain clinic flow while reducing admin workload
For Health Systems
Supports evidence-based paediatric dental care at scale
Improves service efficiency by reducing unnecessary repeat visits
Provides validated outcome data for audit and commissioning
Enhances patient experience and supports Oral health priorities