JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Oral health in early childhood is vital to long-term well-being, yet dental caries remain highly prevalent among young children in the U.S., especially for children in low-income and immigrant families. Brazilian immigrants, one of the fastest-growing Latin American populations in the U.S., face distinct barriers to oral health, including language differences, limited access to care, and a lack of culturally tailored resources. Despite their growing presence, Brazilian families remain understudied in public health research. Understanding their perspectives is essential to advancing oral health equity through culturally responsive and community-informed strategies.

Objective:

To explore Brazilian immigrant parents’ perspectives on early childhood oral health, including strategies to support oral hygiene, preferences for receiving oral health education, and perceived barriers related to language and cultural accessibility, informing culturally responsive, community-based interventions.

Methods:

This qualitative study employed in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Brazilian immigrant parents to explore views on early childhood oral health and strategies for education, access, and culturally appropriate care. Guided by the Social Ecological Model (SEM), data were thematically analyzed to identify explicit and underlying themes related to multilevel influences on oral health behaviors.

Results:

The study included 48 Brazilian immigrant parents (29 mothers and 19 fathers), most of whom were married, had low acculturation and primarily Portuguese-speaking households. Parents emphasized the importance of community-based educational programs for promoting children's oral health, particularly in daycare and school settings. They preferred visual and digital materials, such as videos and apps, delivered in Portuguese to overcome language barriers. Language and cultural barriers were considered to be major obstacles to accessing and utilizing oral health services, underscoring the need for linguistically and culturally tailored interventions. Access to affordable dental care was a significant concern; parents advocated expanded services, school-based support, and culturally welcoming care environments.

Conclusions:

Brazilian immigrant parents participating in this study highlighted the need for culturally and linguistically tailored oral health interventions and preferred e community-based educational programs delivered in trusted settings such as daycare centers, schools and community centers that focus on teaching children good oral hygiene and empowering caregivers. They also spoke of the need to simultaneously advocate for improved access to dental care through policy changes, expanded insurance coverage, and simplified healthcare navigation. Combining traditional outreach with digital platforms can further enhance accessibility and engagement. Multilevel interventions addressing both behavioral and systemic barriers offer a promising approach to reducing oral health disparities and promoting preventive care in this underserved population. Future efforts should prioritize designing, implementing, and rigorously evaluating linguistically and culturally responsive interventions to develop scalable models that effectively meet community needs and overcome systemic challenges faced by Brazilian immigrant families in the U.S. Clinical Trial: Not applicable