Some Nigerian children's perceptions and involvement in consent to dental treatment

The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of some Nigerian children regarding consenting to their dental treatment. The sample consisted of 100 child patients with an age range of 8-13 years. Children requiring emergency treatment were excluded from the study. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered and the dentists carried out interviews following dental treatment. The outcome of the study revealed that 64% of the respondents were of the opinion that children generally should be involved in deciding about their dental treatment. Results showed that 37% of these children were actually involved in the decision about the dental treatment they had received whereas 66% believed that they should have been part of the process. Responses from the children revealed that 49% wanted the dentist to talk to them about their dental treatment while 41% felt it was the responsibility of both their parents and the dentist. The results of this study have suggested that children want to be more involved in consenting to their dental treatment.