Parental Acceptance of Behavior Management Techniques for Pediatric Dental Visits in Qassim, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Behaviour management techniques have been commonly used to promote a child’s positive behaviour during oral health treatment. Parents play an important role in their child’s dental care and its delivery. Objective: This study aimed to determine the most accepted behaviour management techniques used in paediatric dental clinics and assess the parents’ acceptance level for each technique using a visual analogue scale. Methods: This cross-sectional study based in Qassim, Saudi Arabia, used videotaped scenes of seven behaviour management techniques recorded in Arabic. After watching the videos, parents filled out a questionnaire on acceptance of each technique and rated their acceptance of it by using a visual analogue scale. Results: The study consisted of 130 parents, of which 86 (66.2%) were males and 44 (33.8%) were females. 96.9% of parents approved positive reinforcement, which was followed by tell-show-do (TSD) with 93.1% acceptance. General anesthesia (47.7%) was the least accepted behavioral management technique. Conclusion: It is crucial for parents to systematically understand the procedures to be used in a pediatric dental setting. Dentist-parent communication is necessary to address any concerns, thereby creating a safe environment to deliver quality oral care.