Acceptance of Behavior Guidance Techniques Used in Pediatric Dentistry by Parents From Diverse Backgrounds

Abstract

Objective. To investigate if parental background affects acceptance of behavior guidance techniques. Background. Behavior guidance techniques are used for the safe and effective treatment of pediatric patients. Acceptance of these techniques may vary by racial and ethnic background. Methods. A total of 142 parents were recruited and asked to rate videos showing: active restraint/protective stabilization (AR), general anesthesia (GA), nitrous oxide sedation (N2O), oral premedication/sedation (OP), passive restraint/protective stabilization (PR), tell-show-do (TSD), and voice control (VC) techniques. Results. Hispanic parents rated VC most acceptable, followed by TSD, PR, and pharmacologic techniques. Black and white parents rated TSD, followed by N2O, as most acceptable, and AR and PR as least favorable. Hispanics found GA significantly less acceptable than whites or blacks. Hispanics were less accepting of AR than blacks; but more accepting of PR than whites. TSD was highly rated among all 3 cohorts. Parental background affected acceptance of the techniques in this study.

Perceptions of behavioural guidance techniques for paediatric patients amongst students in a Malaysian dental school

“…Hence, their acceptance of the use of voice control may be reduced, as it may not be socio‐culturally appropriate to the population of patients that they were treating during this phase of their training 28 . Nevertheless, the use of voice control, even on paediatric patients, needs to be carefully evaluated, as it has been perceived to elicit varying levels of acceptability by parents and children with different backgrounds and ethnicity 29‐31 …”

Protective stabilization in pediatric dentistry: A qualitative study on the perceptions of mothers, psychologists, and pediatric dentists

“…PST, sedation, and general anesthesia have been described as behavior management options that are the least accepted by parents and caregivers 1,4,9,10 . However, the results of this study demonstrate that caregivers understand, accept, and recognize the importance of PST during dental care.…”

“…Contemporary parents are increasingly less tolerant with BMT involving the use of authority or restraint. The literature is scarce, and divergent opinions are found regarding the indication, potential risks, and acceptability of protective stabilization on the part of parents of children younger than three years of age and healthcare providers 1,9,10 . Acceptability, in particular, has become a key consideration in the evaluation and implementation of healthcare interventions and is defined as a multi‐faceted construct that reflects the extent to which people delivering or receiving an intervention consider it to be appropriate based on anticipated or experienced cognitive and emotional responses to the intervention 11 .…”

“…At the same time, parents have high expectations regarding the behavior of their children and the performance of the dentist. Behavioral problems during dental care are generally related to the fear, anxiety, and past experiences of the parents as well as the emotional characteristics of the child 1,2 …”

“…The first three years of life are considered a pre‐cooperative period, in which crying and resistance to care are expected, as the child does not have the maturity to understand the situation or express himself/herself 3 . However, most parents are averse to the perception that their child may experience any degree of physical or psychological distress during dental care 1,4 . This is a barrier that leads to postponing appointments, which impedes a timely diagnosis and treatment, leading to an increase in the incidence and severity of oral problems 5,6 …”