Abstract
PurposeThe purposes of this study were to investigate paediatric dental practitioners’ training and confidence in using dental behaviour management techniques in the Arabian region and to assess the factors influencing the application of advanced behaviour management techniques. Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed to paediatric dental practitioners in the Arabian region. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi Square.ResultsA total of 113 responses were obtained. Of these, the majority were from Egypt (45%, n = 51). Just over half of the respondents were registered as specialists at the country where they were practicing paediatric dentistry (53%, n = 60). The use of behaviour management techniques varied amongst participants with tell-show-do (95%, n = 107) and positive reinforcement (89%, n = 101) being the most routinely used techniques. The majority of participants reported using voice control (83%) and parental separation (68%) techniques. Hand over mouth exercise (HOME) was only used by 24% (n = 27) of participants, whilst just over half of the participants, 53%, reported using protective stabilisation. A significant association was shown between country of practice, country of obtaining paediatric dental training, speciality status and the use of advanced behaviour management techniques, whilst confidence in using HOME and sedation were associated with work setting and country of practice, respectively.ConclusionThe use of advanced behaviour management techniques was found to be high amongst respondents in the Arabian region. The lack of training in using these techniques, however, is of concern. Further assessment of the factors affecting the use of and confidence in applying advanced behaviour management techniques in the Arabian region is needed.
Highlights
The long-term success of any paediatric dental treatment is highly dependent on the child’s cooperation level
Two participants were excluded, resulting in 113 respondents and a response rate of 27.4%
Protective stabilisation is a technique that is recommended in specific situations, such as when immediate diagnosis and/or urgent limited treatment is needed in uncooperative patients, and when patients pose a risk of harm to staff/parents especially where the use of sedation/ general anaesthesia (GA) is not possible (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry 2019–2020)
Summary
The long-term success of any paediatric dental treatment is highly dependent on the child’s cooperation level. Paediatric dentists have to gain a good level of cooperation by applying various behaviour management techniques. Managing the child’s behaviour in such a way that instils a positive dental attitude, would help improve the child’s future dental treatments, but would aid to improve the child’s dental health. Parental factors, such as child–parent relationship, parental anxiety, parent’s perception of children’s behaviour in the dental operatory, parent’s past dental experience and parents’ expectation of behaviour management, used by the dentist,
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