Abstract
Background: There is a need to “re-think” child management, as the completion of a procedure is not the only dental goal. Short versus long-term goals and the behavioural and pharmacologic repertoire will influence outcomes. Review: A child-centred approach is described, with a specific protocol for the dental waiting room. The changing attitudes of society need to be taken into account in the use of behaviour management techniques by paediatric dentists. Conclusion: The goal of managing children in the dental environment requires some thought: the welfare of the child depends on attention by a clinician to long term goals. The contemporary child centred clinician has a wide range of child management skills. It is not optional for the clinician to develop his/her behavioural expertise to a high level; clinician skills have long-term consequences. These days behaviour management begins in the waiting room where initial contact provides the opportunity to shape subsequent behaviours.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alpert, JJ, Robertson, LS, Kosa, J, Heagarty, MC, Haggerty, RJ. Delivery of health care for children: report of an experiment. Pediatrics, 1976;57(6)917–30.
Bedos, C, et al. Perception of dental illness among persons receiving public assistance in Montreal. Am J Public Health, 2005;95(8):1340–4.
Bendell, D, Field, T, Yando, R, Martinez, A, Pickens, J. “Depressed” mothers perceptions of their preschool children’s vulnerability. Child Psychiatry Human Dev, 1994;24(3):183–90.
Christakis, DA, Mell, L, Wright, JA, Davis, R, Connell, FA. The association between greater continuity of care and timely measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. Am J Public Health, 2000;90(6):962–5.
Cole, BO, Welbury, RR. Atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) technique: Does it have a place in everyday practice? Dent Update, 2000;27(3):118–20,122-3.
Field, T, Diego, M, Hernansez-Reif, M, Fernandez, M. Depressed mothers’ newborns show less discrimination of other newborns’ cry sounds. Infant Behav Dev, 2007;30(3): 431–5.
Frencken, JE, Van’t Hof, MA, Van Amerongen, WE, Holmgren, CJ. Effectiveness of a single-surface ART restoration in the permanent dentition: a meta-analysis. J Dent Res, 2004; 83(2):120–3.
Leeners, B, Stiller, R, Block, et al. Consequences of childhood sexual abuse experiences on dental care. J Psychosom Res, 2007;62(5):581–8.
Lentz, KA. The expressed fears of young children. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev, 1985;16(1):3–13.
Leventhal, H, et al. The common sense model of self-regulation of health and illness. In Cameron, LD, Leventhal, H, eds. The self-regulation of health and illness behaviour, London, UK: Taylor and Francis books, 2003
Leventhal, H. Living with chronic illness: A contextualized self-regulation approach. In Sutton, S, et al, eds. Handbook of health psychology. London, UK: Sage Publications, 197–240, 2004
Milgrom, P, Vignehsa, H, Weinstein, P. Adolescent dental fear and control: prevalence and theoretical implications. Behav Res Ther, 1992;30(4):367–73.
Milgrom, P, Mancl, L, King, B, Weinstein, P. Origins of childhood dental fear. Behav Res Ther, 1995;33(3):313–9.
Milgrom, P, Weinstein, Getz, T. Treating fearful dental patients., 2nd ed, Seattle. University of Washington Continuing Dental Education, 1995.
Newton, JT, Patel, H, Shah, S, Sturmey, P. Attitudes towards the use of hand over mouth (HOM) and physical restraint amongst paediatric specialist practitioners in the UK. Int J Paediatr Dent, 2004;14(2):111–7.
Pickrell, JE, Heima, M, Weinstein, P, et al. Using memory restructuring strategy to enhance dental behaviour. Int J Paediatr Dent, 2007;17(6):439–48.
Raadal, M, Kaakko, T, Milgrom, P, et al. A randomized clinical trial of triazolam in 3- to 5-year-olds. J Dent Res, 1999;78(6):1197–203.
Skaret E, Weinstein P, Milgrom P, Kaakko T, Getz, T. Factors related to severe untreated tooth decay in rural adolescents: a case-control study for public health planning. Int J Paed Dent, 2004;14(1):17–26, 2004.
Walker, EA, Milgrom, P, Weinstein, P, Getz, Y, Richardson, R. Assessing abuse and neglect and dental fear in women. J Am Dent Assoc, 1996;127(4):485–90.
Weinstein, P, Getz, T, Ratener, P, Domoto, P. The effect of dentists’ behaviours on fear-related behaviours in children. J Am Dent Assoc, 1982;104(1):32–8.
Weinstein, P, Domoto, PK, Holleman, E. The use of nitrous oxide in the treatment of children: results of a controlled study. J Am Dent assoc, 1986;112(3):325–31.
Weinstein, P, Milgrom, P, Ramssay, DS. Treating dental fears using nitrous oxide inhalation and systematic desensitization. Gen Dent, 1988;36(4):322
Weinstein, P, Milgrom, P, Hoskuldsson O, et al. Situation-specific child control: a visit to the dentist. Behav Res Ther, 1996;34(1):11–21.
Weinstein, P, Troyer, R, Jacobi, D, Moccasin, M. Dental experiences and parenting practices of Native American mothers and caretakers: what we can learn for the prevention of baby bottle tooth decay. ASDC J Dent Child, 1999;66(2), 120–6.
Weinstein, P, Raadal, M, Naidu, S, et al. A videotaped intervention to enhance child control and reduce anxiety of the pain of dental injections. Eur J Paediatr Dent, 2003;4(4):181–5.
Willumsen, T. the impact of childhood sexual abuse on dental fear. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 2004;32(1):73–9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Weinstein, P. Child-Centred child management in a changing world. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent 9 (Suppl 1), 6–10 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03262649
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03262649