The Polar Bear Study

We have now completed interviews with parents/caregivers. A big thank you to everyone who participated for sharing their experiences of looking after their child(ren)'s oral health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

📢 Opportunity to take part in a research study about child oral health 📢

The POLAR BEAR Study (Covid 19 pandemic)
Tooth decay can be a major problem for children. It is painful, disrupts eating and sleep, affects concentration, behaviour and causes absences from school. In the UK, the most common reason for children to go to hospital is to have decayed teeth removed under general anaesthetic. General anaesthetic can be risky for children and is expensive for the NHS. Tooth-kind habits, such as regular tooth-brushing and eating less sugar prevents tooth decay. This may be particularly important during the Covid-19 pandemic when dental practices are closed and restrictions on normal routines, health care and health promotion are in place.

We want to find out what parents and carers of children (0-12 years of age) think about the challenges and opportunities for looking after their children’s oral health during this time. We are particularly keen to hear from parents/carers of children who have had a tooth removed during the pandemic, or who are currently awaiting tooth removal.

If you have worked with a community health practitioner recently, we also want to ask you about the support you have received.

What would I have to do?
You would be asked to take part in an interview that lasts 30-45 minutes over the telephone or using a video conferencing platform (Teams or Zoom). The interview would be kept anonymous. You will receive a shopping voucher for taking part.

To find out more, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]

📢 Opportunity to take part in a research study about child oral health

The POLAR BEAR Study (Covid 19 pandemic)

Tooth decay can be a major problem for children. It is painful, disrupts eating and sleep, affects concentration, behaviour and causes absences from school. In the UK, the most common reason for children to go to hospital is to have decayed teeth removed under general anaesthetic. General anaesthetic can be risky for children and is expensive for the NHS. Tooth-kind habits, such as regular tooth-brushing and eating less sugar prevents tooth decay. This may be particularly important during the Covid-19 pandemic when dental practices are closed and restrictions on normal routines, health care and health promotion are in place.

We want to find out what parents and carers of young children think about the challenges and opportunities for looking after their children’s oral health during this time.

If you have worked with a community health practitioner recently, we also want to ask you about the support you have received.

What would I have to do?
You would be asked to take part in an interview that lasts 30-45 minutes over the telephone or using a video conferencing platform (Teams or Zoom). The interview would be kept anonymous. You will receive a shopping voucher for taking part.

To find out more, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]

Want to hear more about The Polar Bear Study? We also have a Twitter page () and a website:

The Polar Bear Study University of Manchester