Impact of Therapy Dogs on Anxiety and Behavior of Pediatric Dental Patients During Local Anesthesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
University of Michigan
Summary
Therapy dogs in dental offices might help anxious children during dental care. Therapy dogs might help children during injection of local anesthetic, when we inject numbing medication before working on the teeth. The goal of this study is to learn if having a therapy dog with a child during the injection of numbing medication helps children to be more comfortable at the dentist's office. This study is of children who need dental care using local anesthesia. Study participant's behavioral reactions and heart rate during injection of local anesthetic with and without having a therapy dog present will be recorded and children and their guardians will be asked a few short questions about the injection and therapy dog after injection.
Description
Children undergoing dental restorative or surgical procedures require injection of local anesthetic. The injection procedure is often the most anxiety-producing stimulus for children during dental care, when children demonstrate the highest level of emotional distress. Several studies have investigated various interventions, such as distraction, hypnosis, and cognitive behavioral therapy to ease this stress. Animal-assisted therapy (e.g. the presence of a therapy dog) may be a promising strategy for managing anxiety in young dental patients. However, no studies have explored the potential bene…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 4–12 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Age range: children aged 4- to 12-years * Health status: healthy children without significant medical conditions (ASA I or ASA II) * Dental procedure: children scheduled for at least two dental procedures requiring local anesthesia * Consent: written informed consent from the parent or legal guardian * Verbal assent from potential subjects age 4-9 years; written assent for children age 10-12 years Exclusion Criteria: * Allergies: children with known allergies to dogs or animal dander * Children with a fear or phobia of dogs * Children with a behavioral disorder which m…
Interventions
- BehavioralTherapy dog presence
A trained therapy dog will be present during the child's dental appointment. The dog will be in the operatory as the child enters the room and will lie on the child during injection of local anesthesia.
- BehavioralStandard-of-care basic behavior guidance
Basic behavior guidance as defined by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry includes strategies to help children cope through potentially stressful dental procedures. These strategies include tell-show-do, positive reinforcement, parental presence, and nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia, among others.
Location
- University of Michigan School of Dentistry Children's ClinicAnn Arbor, Michigan