Evaluation of Effectiveness of Three Different Behavioral Modification Techniques among 4–8-year-old Children

Abstract

Abstract Background: Dental anxiety being attributed by many as a major cause to avoid seeking dental care by children, so several communicative, advanced, and pharmacological interventions have been developed to manage children’s anxious and cooperative behaviors. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of tell–show–do (TSD), tell–play–do (TPD), and ask–tell–ask (ATA) behavioral modification techniques among 4–8 years old coming for a restorative treatment. Materials and Methods: Thirty children aged 4–8 years were enrolled in the study and randomly allocated to three groups, 10 children in each group. Group A: Those to receive restorative treatment by the behavior modification technique (BMT) of TSD; Group B: Those to receive restorative treatment by BMT of TPD; and Group C: Those to receive restorative treatment by BMT of ATA. Evaluation: Each child’s heart rate was monitored before, during, and after the entire treatment with a pulse oximeter. The oximeter was clipped to the thumb of the child’s left hand. Furthermore, Frankel Behavioral Rating Scale was to be monitored before, during, and after the procedure. Results: TPD technique is more efficient than TSD and ATA to control 4–8-year-old children’s anxiety and achieve cooperative behavior during dental treatment. Conclusion: TPD is a technique worth practicing in pediatric dentistry. The dentist should consider the cognitive development of the patient to communicate effectively for developing sound rapport and trust. Each dental visit should be designed to receive proper behavioral guidance techniques such as TPD, TSD, and modeling; these can help the child to develop a positive attitude toward oral health.