Dentistry can provoke great apprehension in children, and successfully managing younger patients presents both the greatest challenge and the greatest reward for dentists. This book focuses on training the dental team and parents to work together to ensure that a child’s visit to the dentist is a pleasurable experience.

ISBN: 1-85097-062-9
978-1-85097-062-0 , 9781850970620

138 pp; 52 illus

Contents

Chapter 1 Introducing the Children
Chapter 2 Child Taming 1: This is What I See, Hear and Feel
Chapter 3 Child Taming 2: The Dental Team
Chapter 4 Parent Training
Chapter 5 Behavioural Management Techniques
Chapter 6 Sequential Treatment Planning
Chapter 7 Conscious Sedation 1: What It Is and When to Use It
Chapter 8 Conscious Sedation 2: Preparing the Parent and Child
Chapter 9 Conscious Sedation 3: Preparing the Dental Team and Facilities
Chapter 10 Conscious Sedation 4: What to Use and How to Use It
Chapter 11 General Anaesthesia
References
Appendix 1 The Pre-appointment Letter
Appendix 2 Patient Information Sheet for Inhalation Sedation
Index

Preface

The dental surgery is an alien place to a child. Strangers in crisp uniforms inhabit the inner sanctum, whilst other grown-ups sit or pace around waiting, looking weary or worried or frightened. There are strange smells, clinical colours and posters on the walls reminiscent of visiting the school sick bay, and shining, sharp-looking instruments lying out ready for use. Within the many drawers and cupboards other things are hidden ... It is rumoured at school that dentists hurt. Grandparents have been telling some scary stories recently and parents had warned that you end up at the dentist when too much sugar is eaten. There are rules here that only the dentist and perhaps a few parents understand, but the child has still to learn them.

It is hardly surprising that dentistry provokes apprehension in children but there is no doubt that successfully managing children presents both the greatest challenge and the greatest reward for a dentist. This book is less about child training and more about training the dental team and parents how to work together to ensure that a child’s visit to the dentist is a pleasurable experience.

Childhood apprehension about dentistry is not limited to children in the United Kingdom. A study of 3,200 children in eight European countries (including the United Kingdom) found 35% of five-year-olds and 21% of 12-year-olds were fearful before visiting the dentist. Interestingly, the parents of 32% of five-year-olds and 30% of 12-year-olds across Europe reported that they too were fearful before a dental visit. This data suggests that anxiety is so prevalent that it should be considered normal. Indeed, making the assumption that the majority of patients may be suffering from some degree of anxiety might remind the dentist and their team to approach children, especially, in a sympathetic manner – thereby enhancing the likelihood of a successful introduction to life-long dental care.

In this book we hope to give family dentists the keys to successful child management by showing how to:

• create a child-friendly atmosphere
• co-ordinate the whole dental team
• communicate with children and their families
• create a treatment plan conducive to child care
• utilize behavioural management techniques
• decide when and how to use conscious sedation and general anaesthesia
• link with wider specialist and community services.

© 2003