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.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
UN General Assembly. Convention on the rights of the child. United Nations; 1989. Accessed 1 July 2021
Ainsworth MS. Infant–mother attachment. Am Psychol. 1979;34:932–7. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.932.
Bowlby J. Attachment and loss. London: The Hogarth Press and Institute of Psycho-Analysis; 1969. p. 428.
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.
Thomas A, Chess S. Temperament and development. Oxford: Brunner/Mazel; 1977.
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.
Holst A, Crossner CG. Management of dental behaviour problems. A 5-year follow-up. Swed Dent J. 1984;8:243–9.
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.
Shroff S, Hughes C, Mobley C. Attitudes and preferences of parents about being present in the dental operatory. Pediatr Dent. 2015;37:51–5.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Moore R, Brødsgaard I. Dentists’ perceived stress and its relation to perceptions about anxious patients. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2001;29:73–80.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
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)