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http://dx.doi.org/10.17245/jdapm.2019.19.6.369

Comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of a mobile app (Little Lovely Dentist) and the tell-show-do technique in the management of dental anxiety and fear: a randomized controlled trial  

Elicherla, Sainath Reddy (Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Narayana Dental College and Hospital)
Bandi, Sujatha (Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Narayana Dental College and Hospital)
Nuvvula, Sivakumar (Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Narayana Dental College and Hospital)
Challa, Rama subbareddy (Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Narayana Dental College and Hospital)
Saikiran, Kanamarlapudi Venkata (Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Narayana Dental College and Hospital)
Priyanka, Vaka Jeevan (Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Narayana Dental College and Hospital)
Publication Information
Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine / v.19, no.6, 2019 , pp. 369-378 More about this Journal
Abstract
Background: Behavior guidance is a technique used to subdue inappropriate behavior by establishing communication that meets the needs of a child. This study aimed to measure the effectiveness of a mobile app (Little Lovely Dentist) compared to the tell-show-do (TSD) technique in managing anxious children during their first dental visit. Methods: Fifty children (30 boys and 20 girls) without any past dental experience, aged from 7 to 11 years, were randomly allocated into either the dental app group or the TSD group. The pre- and post-operative anxiety of children who underwent prophylactic cleaning was assessed both physiologically and subjectively using a heart rate measurement and the RMS pictorial scale, respectively. Results: The intragroup comparison of heart rate and RMS scores for children allocated to the dental app group was statistically significant (P value ≤ 0.001). However, a significant reduction only occurred in the RMS scores, but not the heart rate measurements, in the TSD group. Conversely, there was an increase in heart rates in the TSD group. Conclusion: Educating the child prior to a dental procedure using a smartphone application such as Little Lovely Dentist can significantly alleviate the anticipatory anxiety and engage children in dental treatment during their first visit.
Keywords
Anxiety; Behavior Guidance; Dental Application; First Dental Visit; Tell-Show-Do;
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Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
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