Management of the crying child during dental treatment

The purposes of this study were: (1) To present parents' attitudes toward their child's crying in the dental environment. (2) To suggest a classification of crying children, and discuss its management implications. One hundred and four parents accompanying their children to dental treatment completed a questionnaire assessing the following: the tendency of the child to cry, the preferred approach of the operator to the crying child, and how the parents perceive their own role in such a case. Also the operator's assessment of the child's cooperation and of the child's tendency to cry were recorded. The sociodemographic variables of the parent were recorded, but no association was found with the dependent variables. Fifty-three percent of the parents assessed their children as having a tendency to cry, while only 25 percent children were assessed as such by the operators. Seventy-three percent of the parents preferred that the operator cease the treatment and calm the crying child before resuming. Sixty-nine percent of the parents stated that they should always help to manage the child, when crying takes place. Eleven children who were assessed by the operators as having a tendency to cry cooperated well during the treatment. The successful completion of dental treatment of a crying child is viewed as a partnership of the dentist and the parent. It is important that the dentist informs the parent about the method to be used, and have their consent. A new classification of the crying child is suggested.