Effectiveness of self-designed dental storybook as behavior modification technique in 5 - 7 year-old children: A randomized controlled study.

Abstract

Dental anxiety is one of the key factors that prevent children from obtaining dental treatment and raises anxiety levels in children. The first dental visit is usually fearful for the child and contributes to managing the child patient in a dental operatory. A pediatric dentist's role is to perform effective treatment using various nonpharmacological behavior management techniques. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the effect of self-designed dental storybook on behavior and pulse rate before and after dental procedures in 57-year-old children. The study was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial. The study was conducted on 380 aged 57 years. Children were randomly allocated into two groups, namely, Group A - Behavior modification using a self-designed dental storybook and Group B - Behavior modification without storybook. Research was carried out in two dental visits (screening, examination, and preventive and restorative treatment) wherein, before and after intervention, pulse rate, Facial Image Scale (FIS), and Venham Scale (VS) were recorded. Descriptive statistical analyses followed by the paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were applied and tabulated using the SPSS software version 23.0. There was a significant difference observed in the interventional group as compared to the control group for pulse rate, FIS, and VS. Self-designed dental storybook as an adjuvant was found to be promising behavior modification technique for 57-year-old children.