Skip to main content

Positive Encounters for Children to Prevent Dental Anxiety – Theory and Practice

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Oral Health Psychology

Abstract

In this chapter, the authors draw on their expertise in child developmental psychology, anxiety management and paediatric dentistry practice to provide a theoretical basis and practical guide for the management of children in the dental setting.

The first part gives an overview of the central aspects of children’s psychosocial, emotional and cognitive development before offering some practical and evidence-based approaches for providing dental care to children of different age groups.

The final section provides a more detailed insight into the experiences and needs of dentally-anxious children and explains how guided self-help cognitive behavioural therapy can offer support for these young patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. UN General Assembly. Convention on the rights of the child. United Nations; 1989. Accessed 1 July 2021

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ainsworth MS. Infant–mother attachment. Am Psychol. 1979;34:932–7. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.932.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bowlby J. Attachment and loss. London: The Hogarth Press and Institute of Psycho-Analysis; 1969. p. 428.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Hoffman KT, Marvin RS, Cooper G, et al. Changing toddlers’ and preschoolers’ attachment classifications: the circle of security intervention. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2006;74:1017–26. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.74.6.1017.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Thomas A, Chess S. Temperament and development. Oxford: Brunner/Mazel; 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Fux-Noy A, Shmueli A, Herzog K, et al. Attitudes of EAPD members toward using the “knee-to-knee” position. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2020;21:687–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-020-00514-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Holst A, Crossner CG. Management of dental behaviour problems. A 5-year follow-up. Swed Dent J. 1984;8:243–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Crossley ML, Joshi G. An investigation of paediatric dentists’ attitudes towards parental accompaniment and behavioural management techniques in the UK. Br Dent J. 2002;192:517–21. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4801416.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Shroff S, Hughes C, Mobley C. Attitudes and preferences of parents about being present in the dental operatory. Pediatr Dent. 2015;37:51–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Gebhardt S, Grant P, von Georgi R, et al. Aspects of Piaget’s cognitive developmental psychology and neurobiology of psychotic disorders – an integrative model. Med Hypotheses. 2008;71:426–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2008.03.042.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Grisolia BM, Dos Santos APP, Dhyppolito IM, et al. Prevalence of dental anxiety in children and adolescents globally: A systematic review with meta-analyses. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2021;31:168–83. https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.12712.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Seligman LD, Hovey JD, Chacon K, et al. Dental anxiety: an understudied problem in youth. Clin Psychol Rev. 2017;55:25–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2017.04.004.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Klingberg G, Broberg AG. Dental fear/anxiety and dental behaviour management problems in children and adolescents: a review of prevalence and concomitant psychological factors. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2007;17:391–406. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-263X.2007.00872.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Coxon JD, Hosey MT, Newton JT. The impact of dental anxiety on the oral health of children aged 5 and 8 years: a regression analysis of the Child Dental Health Survey 2013. Br Dent J. 2019;227:818–22. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-019-0853-y.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Taskinen H, Kankaala T, Rajavaara P, et al. Self-reported causes for referral to dental treatment under general anaesthesia (DGA): a cross-sectional survey. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2014;15:105–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-013-0071-2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Haworth S, Dudding T, Waylen A, et al. Ten years on: is dental general anaesthesia in childhood a risk factor for caries and anxiety? Br Dent J. 2017;222:299–304. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2017.175.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Moore R, Brødsgaard I. Dentists’ perceived stress and its relation to perceptions about anxious patients. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2001;29:73–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Rønneberg A, Strøm K, Skaare AB, et al. Dentists’ self-perceived stress and difficulties when performing restorative treatment in children. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2015;16:341–7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-014-0168-2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Porritt J, Marshman Z, Rodd HD. Understanding children’s dental anxiety and psychological approaches to its reduction. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2012;22:397–405. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-263X.2011.01208.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Morgan AG, Rodd HD, Porritt JM, et al. Children’s experiences of dental anxiety. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2017;27:87–97. https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.12238.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. James AC, James G, Cowdrey FA, et al. Cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2015:Cd004690. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004690.pub4.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Gomes HS, Viana KA, Batista AC, et al. Cognitive behaviour therapy for anxious paediatric dental patients: a systematic review. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2018;28:422–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.12405.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Shahnavaz S, Hedman E, Grindefjord M, et al. Cognitive behavioral therapy for children with dental anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. JDR Clin Trans Res. 2016;1:234–43. https://doi.org/10.1177/2380084416661473.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Shahnavaz S, Hedman-Lagerlof E, Hasselblad T, et al. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for children and adolescents with dental anxiety: open trial. J Med Internet Res. 2018;20:e12. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7803.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Shahnavaz S, Rutley S, Larsson K, et al. Children and parents’ experiences of cognitive behavioral therapy for dental anxiety–a qualitative study. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2015;25:317–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.12181.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Newton T, Asimakopoulou K, Daly B, et al. The management of dental anxiety: time for a sense of proportion? Br Dent J. 2012;213:271–4. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2012.830.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Williams C, Martinez R. Increasing access to CBT: stepped care and CBT self-help models in practice. Behav Cognit Psychotherapy. 2008;36:675–83. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465808004864.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Porritt J, Rodd H, Morgan A, et al. Development and testing of a cognitive behavioral therapy resource for children’s dental anxiety. JDR Clin Trans Res. 2017;2:23–37. https://doi.org/10.1177/2380084416673798.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Rodd H, Kirby J, Duffy E, et al. Children’s experiences following a CBT intervention to reduce dental anxiety: one year on. Br Dent J. 2018;225:247–51. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.540.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Bux S, Porritt J, Marshman Z. Evaluation of self-help cognitive behavioural therapy for children’s dental anxiety in general dental practice. Dent J (Basel). 2019;7(2):36. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj7020036.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Williams C, Garland A. A cognitive–behavioural therapy assessment model for use in everyday clinical practice. Adv Psychiatric Treat. 2002;8:172–9. https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.8.3.172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helen Rodd .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Rodd, H., Rønneberg, A., Fredriksen, T.V., Johnsen, I.B., Marshman, Z. (2022). Positive Encounters for Children to Prevent Dental Anxiety – Theory and Practice. In: Willumsen, T., Lein, J.P.Å., Gorter, R.C., Myran, L. (eds) Oral Health Psychology. Textbooks in Contemporary Dentistry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04248-5_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04248-5_9

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-04247-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-04248-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics