Purpose The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of the audio–visual storytelling method and the "tell–show–do" (TSD) technique on reducing children's dental anxiety. Methods A controlled clinical trial study was performed with two experimental groups and a control group. Forty-five 6-to-9 years old children were randomly divided into the groups. Venham Picture Test and Facial Image scale were used as measurement tools. Repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc test were used to evaluate the interventions. Results The results of the post hoc test showed that there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the control group and storytelling group according to both anxiety scales ( p = 0.001). Also, there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the control group and TSD group according to both anxiety scales ( p = 0.01). Conclusion The audio–visual storytelling appears an effective, applicable method for reducing children's dental anxiety. However, it is significant to select an appropriate story and also to consider the dentist–patient relationship.