The use of behaviour management techniques amongst paediatric dentists working in the Arabian region: a cross-sectional survey study

AI-Driven Innovations in Pediatric Dentistry: Enhancing Care and Improving Outcome

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming pediatric dentistry by enhancing diagnostic accuracy, streamlining treatment planning, and improving behavior management. This review explores current AI applications in detecting dental anomalies, categorizing fissure sealants, assessing chronological age, and managing patient behavior. The review also identifies emerging trends and future directions in AI technology that promise to further revolutionize pediatric dental care. By synthesizing recent research and clinical studies, this review aimed to inform dental professionals and researchers about the potential of AI to address traditional challenges and improve oral health outcomes for children.

Parenting Styles and Sedation Efficacy in Pediatric Dental Care; A Study in Uncooperative Children Aged 4 to 6 Years: Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Background

Behavioral problems in children contribute significantly to non-compliance and lack of cooperation with dentists.This study aimed to assess the impact of parenting styles on the success of conscious sedation with midazolam in uncooperative children aged 4 to 6 years.

Methods

This short-term longitudinal study included ninety-six children aged 4-6 years who were classified as uncooperative according to the Frankl Behavior Rating Scale (Frankl I, II), requiring pulp treatment and Stainless-Steel Crown (SSC) restoration. Midazolam was orally administered at 0.25 mg/kg. Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS). Treatment began at least thirty minutes post-drug administration. Vital signs were monitored using a pulse oximeter. Sedation effectiveness was assessed with the Houpt scale at local anesthesia injection (T0), cavity preparation (T1), restoration (T2), and treatment conclusion (T3). Statistical analysis used Mann-Whitney U test (P < 0.05).

Results

Most parents (69, 71.9%) had an authoritative parenting style, while 10 (10.4%) were authoritarian, and 17 (17.7%) were permissive. Authoritative parenting is associated significantly with sedation success (P = 0.001) and reduced dental fear (P = 0.008). Conversely, authoritarian (P = 0.031) and permissive (P = 0.001) parenting styles are associated with sedation failure. Authoritarian parenting is associated positively with increased dental fear (P = 0.001). No significant association was found between permissive parenting style and dental fear (P > 0.05). No significant association existed between behavioral problems and parenting styles (P > 0.05). There was no significant association observed between permissive parenting style and dental fear (P = 0.279). Similarly, no significant associations were found between behavioral problems and specific parenting styles: authoritative (P = 0.625), authoritarian (P = 0.050), and permissive (P = 0.522).

Conclusion

Understanding parenting styles aids in predicting conscious sedation success with midazolam and assisting in managing uncooperative children during dental procedures.

Barriers to Using Advanced and Pharmacological Behavior Management Techniques: A Survey of Pediatric Dentists in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Aim

In this study, we assessed the use of advanced pharmacological behavior management techniques (BMTs) among pediatric dentists in Saudi Arabia and the barriers to their clinical application.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional study used a self-administered electronic survey that targeted members of the Saudi Society of Pediatric Dentistry. The questionnaire included questions on five techniques of advanced and pharmacological behavior management recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Descriptive statistics, frequency, Chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were used to present the outcomes and independent variables.

Results

A total of 57 pediatric dentists completed the survey. Nitrous oxide (N2O) sedation, general anesthesia (GA), and protective stabilization were used regularly by pediatric dentists in 70.2%, 68.4%, and 56.1% of the participants, respectively. A few participants reported using oral (14.0%) or intravenous (IV) sedation (10.5%) regularly. The most common barriers to using these techniques were either dentists' discomfort or the non-availability of the equipment/drugs.

Conclusions

The most common method used by pediatric dentists was N2O inhalation sedation, followed by GA and protective stabilization. The participants' use of pharmacological BMTs, including IV and oral sedation, was relatively low.

Non-pharmacological Behavior Management Techniques in Pediatric Dentistry: A Bibliometric Analysis

As an emerging trend, non-pharmacological behavior management has gained immense research interest. By utilizing a bibliometric approach, this investigation aims to review the state of the non-pharmacological behavior management techniques research in pediatric dentistry. A Scopus search was done on non-pharmacological behavior management in pediatric dentistry, including literature from 1900 to 2022, using "Cited Reference Search" on 4/2/2022. After being screened, the articles were ranked according to the number of citations they had, and the publication year, authorship, contributing institutions, countries, article topic, study design, H index, and keywords were extracted. Out of the 1431 articles found during the literature search, the top 50 cited articles were used for analysis. The citation counts of the 50 selected articles varied from 163 to one, and their highest publications were in the years 2017 and 2019 (n = 7). Most studies were published in the United Kingdom (n = 10). The studies done in Australia and USA have the highest mean citation with the most significant contributions from the Department of Dental Medicine, Children's Hospital, Regional Medical Center, USA. The systematic review was the most frequent study design (n = 19). Among 110 unique keywords, dental anxiety (n = 11) was the most frequently used. This bibliometric analysis offers valuable details on the top 50 publications cited between 2006 and 2022. Although these methods have been employed for many years, only recently have they been the subject of significant scientific publications. It is hoped that this study will enable aspiring and seasoned researchers to envision and create potential future scenarios for interdisciplinary research collaborations on the use of non-pharmacological behavior management techniques in pediatric dentistry.

Influence of dentists’ age, gender, working experience, and practitioner type on the use of behaviour management techniques in dental treatment of children

Abstract

Aim: The objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of dentists’ age, gender, working experience, and practitioner type on the use of non-pharmacological behaviour management techniques in the treatment of paediatric dental patients.

Materials and methods: An anonymous, self-completion survey was mailed to 200 randomly selected dentists. The recorded information included items on practitioner’s gender, age, working experience, specialty status, and frequency of using different non-pharmacological behaviour management techniques as well as the factors influencing the choice for specific behaviour guidance techniques.

Results: Significant differences between age/gender distributions were seen in the use of the basic non-pharmacological behaviour management techniques. Younger females were more likely to indicate that they were comfortable using communicative guidance techniques. The respondents in the over-40 age group did not rely at all on negative reinforcement and parental presence/absence techniques during the dental treatment of children (p&lt;0.05). Dental practitioners with working experience of fewer than 10 years were more likely to utilize behaviour guidance techniques in attending paediatric dental patients compared to their older colleagues. No significant difference by practitioner types was seen in the use of the basic behaviour management techniques (p&gt;0.05).

Conclusions: The present study showed age, gender, working experience, and practitioner type statistically significant differences in the use of behaviour management techniques during the dental treatment of children. The choice of a technique was influenced mainly by personal factors associated with the physical and psychological health of the child.