Factors influencing the use of behavioral management techniques during child management by dentists

Dental anxiety develops from a vicious cycle of bodily arousal from dental stimuli, cognitive interpretation and ineffective coping all working in a runaway feedback loop. Behavioral management strategies (BMT) aim at cognitive reorientation, which results in better compliance with instruction. This paper therefore tried to find out possible factors that influence the effective use of BMT during child dental management during treatment by dental operators in Nigeria. The levels of anxiety pre and post treatment were assessed using the short form of the dental version of the Child Fear Survey Schedule. Also, the type of treatment given to the child, the types and number of behavioral strategies employed during dental management as well as the gender and age of the child were noted. The professional status of the attending dental operator was also noted. Prior to the commencement of the study, the five students in the final year, who were to attend to the children in this study received one week training on the psychological management of dental anxiety in children. Results obtained from the dental operators were compared. The type of treatment received by the child did not significantly affect the dental anxiety score. The number of techniques combined by house officers and senior registrars were significantly higher than would be expected by chance (chi2=16.030, P=0.0001 and chi2=9.000, P=0.0001 respectively). Combination of techniques was also more frequent during invasive procedures and when dental anxiety levels were high. Combining techniques also tended to decrease dental anxiety more significantly than otherwise. Training has a role to play in the basic and efficient use in the management of the child dental patient. The training of dentists should thus entail the full spectrum (content and instructional effectiveness) of all psychological techniques.