Behaviour Management for Dental Procedures in the Paediatric Patient

Abstract

This chapter aims to provide the busy dental practitioner with an overview of behavioural management assessment and non-pharmacological behaviour management techniques (NPBMT). Practical guidance, including indications and contraindications for these techniques, along with an overview of pharmacological techniques is provided. Finally scenarios explaining how to use NPBMT in practice are provided.

Ideally the first time a child visits the dental surgery it should be for preventive advice and acclimatisation. Unfortunately, this is often not the case with many children and young people (CYP) attending their first dental appointment in pain and on an emergency basis with raised levels of dental fear and anxiety (DFA) frequently present. Equally, there are those CYP who might have attended regularly, but have not required any interventive dental care to-date and now find themselves requiring orthodontic extractions. For all CYP it is important to consider how they are going to cope with dental care and a standardised assessment is key to understanding and facilitating successful and efficient care.

NPBMT may be all that is required to help the paediatric patient master dental care and learn new co** skills. Preventive anxiety management using NPMBT can and should be employed for all CYP at all appointments with a view to ensuring current and future appointments do not exacerbate or trigger anxiety. Post COVID-19 there are additional challenges in providing effective communication, building rapport and trust due to enhanced Personal and Protective Equipment requirements and the fact that consultations may take place remotely.