Abstract
This study explored how Pasifika families in Aotearoa New Zealand experience Hall Technique stainless steel crowns (HT-SSCs), with particular attention to their social and cultural impacts. Although HT-SSCs are recognised as an effective, minimally invasive treatment for managing dental caries in children, little is known about how they are perceived and lived with by Pasifika communities that already face disproportionate oral health inequities. Using a qualitative design, the research moved beyond clinical outcomes to understand how families interpret, explain, and negotiate this visible treatment in their everyday lives.
Talanoa-informed semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Pasifika parents and caregivers whose children had received HT-SSCs through the Community Oral Health Services in the Canterbury and Wellington regions. Transcripts were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s thematic approach, supported by NVivo 15.2.0.
Findings showed that consent and acceptance were relational processes shaped by collective family structures rather than individual decisions. Parents navigated questions from elders and extended aiga (family), and although sometimes perceived as critical, inquiries from grandparents were viewed as expressions of care and responsibility. The crowns themselves carried social meaning; their metallic visibility drew curiosity, humour, and sometimes stigma, requiring families to manage how treatment was interpreted within their communities. Many parents linked these experiences to broader inequities, questioning whether treatment options were offered consistently or influenced by assumptions about Pasifika families. Communication emerged as central: when explanations were rushed or unclear, parents felt unprepared to respond to others’ questions. Despite these challenges, families valued HT-SSCs for protecting children’s teeth and avoiding extractions, and suggested that stronger communication, visible Pasifika representation, and culturally responsive care could enhance trust and participation.
This study demonstrates that the success of HT-SSCs cannot be judged by clinical outcomes alone. How treatment is communicated, understood, and supported within families shapes its social acceptability and long-term impact. Embedding collective approaches to consent, cultural safety, and effective communication within oral health services is essential to achieving equitable, trusted, and family-centred care for Pasifika communities and beyond.