Pediatric Dentists' Knowledge Concerning the Physician Payments Sunshine Act and Their Predictions of its Effects on Their Interactions with the Industry and its Impact on Patient Care.

Purpose: This study surveyed pediatric dentists' knowledge of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (PPSA) and their impressions of its effect on their future interactions with the dental products industry and on their clinical practice.

Methods: Seven hundred seventy four practicing dentists responded to a survey, with 13 responding to a follow-up survey.

Results: Most respondents were unfamiliar (43 percent) or only vaguely familiar (33 percent) with the PPSA. In response to the required PPSA disclosures, 62 percent said they would see company representatives less often (37 percent indicated no change); 50 percent said they would attend fewer industry-sponsored continuing education events (49 percent indicated no change); and 57 percent indicated they would attend fewer promotional speaking events (43 percent indicated no change). Respondents indicated that self-banning detailing (68 percent), samples (72 percent), industry-sponsored continuing education events (81 percent), and promotional speaking (82 percent) would negatively impact the quality of care they are able to provide their patients.

Conclusion: Pediatric dentists anticipate reducing or severing their existing ties to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and device manufacturers in response to the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, despite believing that interactions with the dental products' industry enhance the quality of patient care they are able to provide their patients.