fa آسیب شناسی دهان و دندان Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology پژوهشي Research <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="line-height:200%"><span aptos="" style="font-family:"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Background:</span></span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black"> Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, unpredictable behaviors, and, in some cases, aggression. These challenges often complicate dental procedures, underscoring the importance of preventive approaches and parental involvement in maintaining oral health among autistic children. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of parents of children aged 6&ndash;16 years with autism regarding oral health in Isfahan, Iran.</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:200%"><span aptos="" style="font-family:"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Materials and Methods:</span></span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black"> This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on the parents of 60 children with autism. Data were collected using a four-part questionnaire, which included demographic information and items assessing parents&#39; knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oral health. Data were gathered according to variables such as parental age, education level, and monthly household income, and were analyzed using the Kruskal&ndash;Wallis and Mann&ndash;Whitney tests&nbsp; (&alpha;= 0.05)</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:200%"><span aptos="" style="font-family:"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Results:</span></span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black"> The mean scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 14.85, 41.77, and 25.07, respectively. A significant association was observed between parents&#39; educational level and knowledge scores (P < 0.001), with higher education correlating with better knowledge. However, education was not significantly related to attitude or practice. Family income showed no significant relationship with any KAP components, and parental age was significantly correlated only with knowledge.</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:200%"><span aptos="" style="font-family:"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Conclusion:</span></span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black"> Higher parental education is a key determinant of oral health awareness among parents of children with autism, whereas income and age exert limited influence. These findings highlight the necessity of targeted educational interventions to enhance parental knowledge and improve oral health outcomes in this population.</span></span></span></span></span></div> 0 0 http://cofs.khuisf.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-77&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Melika Janghorban 10031947532846001318 10031947532846001318 No Faculty of dentistry, Isf.c., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Hajar Attarzadeh 10031947532846001319 10031947532846001319 Yes Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Isf.c., Islamic Azad university, Isfahan, Iran Danoosh Dehghanian 10031947532846001320 10031947532846001320 No Department of Comunity Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Isf.c., Islamic Azad university, Isfahan, Iran Ali Nasresfahani 10031947532846001321 10031947532846001321 No Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Isf.c., Islamic Azad university, Isfahan, Iran