An exploratory study investigating children's perceptions of dental behavioural management techniques

Davies, E. Bethan; Buchanan, Heather

Abstract

Background: Behaviour management techniques (BMTs) are utilised by dentists to aid children's dental anxiety (DA). Children's perceptions of these have been underexplored, and their feedback could help inform paediatric dentistry.

Aim: To explore children's acceptability and perceptions of dental communication and BMTs and to compare these by age, gender, and DA.

Design: A total of sixty-two 9- to 11-year-old school children participated in the study. Children's acceptability of BMTs was quantified using a newly developed Likert scale, alongside exploration of children's experiences and perceptions through interviews. anova and t-tests explored BMT acceptability ratings by age, gender, and DA. Thematic analysis was used to analyse interviews.

Findings:
Statistical analyses showed no effect of age, gender, or DA upon BMT acceptability. Children generally perceived the BMTs as acceptable or neutral; stop signals were the most acceptable, and voice control the least acceptable BMT. Beneficial experiences of distraction and positive reinforcement were common. Children described the positive nature of their dentist's communication and BMT utilisation.

Conclusion: Dental anxiety did not affect children's perceptions of BMTs. Children were generally positive about dentist's communication and established BMTs. Children's coping styles may impact perceptions and effectiveness of BMTs and should be explored in future investigations.

Citation

Davies, E. B., & Buchanan, H. (2013). An exploratory study investigating children's perceptions of dental behavioural management techniques. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 23(4), https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.12007

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jul 1, 2013
• Deposit Date: Aug 4, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 4, 2015
• Journal: International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry
• Print ISSN: 0960-7439
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-263X
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 4
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.12007
• Keywords: paediatric dentistry, dental anxiety
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1001679
• Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ipd.12007/abstract
• Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: E. Bethan Davies and Heather Buchanan, An exploratory study investigating children's perceptions of dental behavioural management techniques, International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2013; 23: 297–309, which has been published in final form at doi: 10.1111/ipd.12007. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.