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Experiential learning for children's dental anxiety: a cluster randomized trial.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Dental anxiety (DA) has an impact on the quality of dental treatment and may have long-lasting implications for children. A recent study introducing experiential learning (EL) into children's oral health promotion resulted in better oral hygiene. The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether EL can reduce children's DA. METHODS:In September 2018, we recruited 988 children aged 7-8?years from 24 classes to participate in a cluster-randomized trial. Classes were randomly assigned to EL (in which children received a lively presentation on oral health and participated in a role play in a simulated dental clinic in the classroom) or the Tell-Show-Do (TSD) group (in which children received a conventional TSD behavior management). The primary outcome was the prevalence of high DA after the procedure of pit and fissure sealant (PFS), assessed by a modified Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale. Secondary outcomes were changes in blood pressures (BP) and pulse rates (PR) before and after the PFS procedure. The intervention effects were estimated by means of mixed effect models, which included covariates of gender and school (and baseline value for BP and PR only), and a random cluster effect. RESULTS:In 396 children of the EL group who received the PFS treatment, the prevalence of high DA (score???38) was 18.5%, compared with 24.3% in 391 children of the TSD group (OR?=?0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.93; P?=?0.019). The increases in BP and PR after the PFS were also significantly less in the EL group. CONCLUSION:School-based experiential learning intervention before a dental visit is feasible and effective in reducing children's dental anxiety during PFS. TRIAL REGISTRATION:The trial was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 5 January 2020 (No.: ChiCTR2000028878 , retrospectively registered).

SUBMITTER: Zhu M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7395402 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Experiential learning for children's dental anxiety: a cluster randomized trial.

Zhu Minmin M Yu Hongbing H Xie Bo B Li Hongwen H He Qian Q Li Huimin H Su Jing J Li Xueqi X

BMC oral health 20200731 1

<h4>Background</h4>Dental anxiety (DA) has an impact on the quality of dental treatment and may have long-lasting implications for children. A recent study introducing experiential learning (EL) into children's oral health promotion resulted in better oral hygiene. The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether EL can reduce children's DA.<h4>Methods</h4>In September 2018, we recruited 988 children aged 7-8 years from 24 classes to participate in a cluster-randomized trial. Classes were randoml ...[more]

PMID: 32736555

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Project description:INTRODUCTION:Dental anxiety is common and causes symptomatic use of oral health services. OBJECTIVES:The aim was to study if a short-term virtual reality intervention reduced preoperative dental anxiety. METHODS:A randomized controlled single-center trial was conducted with 2 parallel arms in a public oral health care unit: virtual reality relaxation (VRR) and treatment as usual (TAU). The VRR group received a 1- to 3.5-min 360° immersion video of a peaceful virtual landscape with audio features and sound supporting the experience. TAU groups remained seated for 3 min. Of the powered sample of 280 participants, 255 consented and had complete data. Total and secondary sex-specific mixed effects linear regression models were completed for posttest dental anxiety (Modified Dental Anxiety Scale [MDAS] total score) and its 2 factors (anticipatory and treatment-related dental anxiety) adjusted for baseline (pretest) MDAS total and factor scores and age, taking into account the effect of blocking. RESULTS:Total and anticipatory dental anxiety decreased more in the VRR group than the TAU group (? = -0.75, P < .001, for MDAS total score; ? = -0.43, P < .001, for anticipatory anxiety score) in patients of a primary dental care clinic. In women, dental anxiety decreased more in VRR than TAU for total MDAS score (? = -1.08, P < .001) and treatment-related dental anxiety (? = -0.597, P = .011). Anticipatory dental anxiety decreased more in VRR than TAU in both men (? = -0.217, P < .026) and women (? = -0.498, P < .001). CONCLUSION:Short application of VRR is both feasible and effective to reduce preoperative dental anxiety in public dental care settings (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03993080). KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT:Dental anxiety, which is a common problem, can be reduced with short application of virtual reality relaxation applied preoperatively in the waiting room. Findings of this study indicate that it is a feasible and effective procedure to help patients with dental anxiety in normal public dental care settings.

Project description:Dental anxiety affects approximately 9% of children and is associated with poor oral health, pain, and psychosocial problems. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children with dental anxiety in specialist pediatric dentistry. The study used a parallel-group superiority randomized controlled trial design. The primary outcome measure was the behavioral avoidance test; assessors were blind to treatment allocation. Participants were 8 boys and 22 girls 7 to 18 y old (mean ± SD, 10 ± 3.1). Children fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for dental anxiety were randomized to CBT (n = 13) or treatment as usual (n = 17), such as various sedation methods. Psychologists provided 10 h of CBT based on a treatment manual. Treatments were conducted in a naturalistic real-world clinical setting. Assessments were conducted before the treatment, 3 mo after the start of treatment, and at 1-y follow-up. The analyses of the primary outcome measure by repeated-measures analysis of variance and independent t test showed that children receiving CBT made superior, statistically significant improvements at follow-up (16.8 ± 2.4) compared with treatment as usual (11.4 ± 3.1, P < 0.01). A large between-group effect size (Cohen's d = 1.9) was found. Following treatment, 73% of those in the CBT group managed all stages of the dental procedures included in the behavioral avoidance test compared with 13% in the treatment-as-usual group. Furthermore, 91% in the CBT group compared with 25% in the treatment-as-usual group no longer met the diagnostic criteria for dental anxiety at the 1-y follow-up according to the secondary outcome measure. Measures of dental anxiety and self-efficacy showed larger improvements in the CBT group compared with controls. We conclude that CBT is an efficacious treatment for children and adolescents with dental anxiety and should be made accessible in pediatric dentistry (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01798355). Knowledge transfer statement: The results of this study can be used by decision makers and clinicians when planning to implement evidence-based treatment in pediatric dentistry and give children and adolescents access to methods for treating dental anxiety. The results can also be used by parents of children with dental anxiety when asking dentists to cooperate with psychologists using cognitive behavioral therapy.

Project description:ObjectiveTo assess the effect of provision of free glasses on academic performance in rural Chinese children with myopia.DesignCluster randomized, investigator masked, controlled trial.Setting252 primary schools in two prefectures in western China, 2012-13.Participants3177 of 19,934 children in fourth and fifth grades (mean age 10.5 years) with visual acuity <6/12 in either eye without glasses correctable to >6/12 with glasses. 3052 (96.0%) completed the study.InterventionsChildren were randomized by school (84 schools per arm) to one of three interventions at the beginning of the school year: prescription for glasses only (control group), vouchers for free glasses at a local facility, or free glasses provided in class.Main outcome measuresSpectacle wear at endline examination and end of year score on a specially designed mathematics test, adjusted for baseline score and expressed in standard deviations.ResultsAmong 3177 eligible children, 1036 (32.6%) were randomized to control, 988 (31.1%) to vouchers, and 1153 (36.3%) to free glasses in class. All eligible children would benefit from glasses, but only 15% wore them at baseline. At closeout glasses wear was 41% (observed) and 68% (self reported) in the free glasses group, and 26% (observed) and 37% (self reported) in the controls. Effect on test score was 0.11 SD (95% confidence interval 0.01 to 0.21) when the free glasses group was compared with the control group. The adjusted effect of providing free glasses (0.10, 0.002 to 0.19) was greater than parental education (0.03, -0.04 to 0.09) or family wealth (0.01, -0.06 to 0.08). This difference between groups was significant, but was smaller than the prespecified 0.20 SD difference that the study was powered to detect.ConclusionsThe provision of free glasses to Chinese children with myopia improves children's performance on mathematics testing to a statistically significant degree, despite imperfect compliance, although the observed difference between groups was smaller than the study was originally designed to detect. Myopia is common and rarely corrected in this setting.Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN03252665.

Dataset Information

Experiential learning for children's dental anxiety: a cluster randomized trial.

Publications

Experiential learning for children's dental anxiety: a cluster randomized trial.

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