Pattern of parental acceptance of management techniques used in pediatric dentistry

Aim: To evaluate parents' acceptance of management techniques in Israeli pediatric dental clinics. Study Design: Ninety parents who accompanied their children to three pediatric dental clinics provided information on selected parameters including their attitudes about management techniques. Results: 68.9% of the parents preferred to stay in the treatment room. The most accepted technique was positive reinforcement (81.1%) followed by tell-show-do (TSD) (76.7%, with younger parents more accepting than older, p = 0.049). The least accepted techniques were restraint (1.1%) and voice control (7.8%, especially by parents with the highest dental anxiety, p = 0.002). Sedation was unacceptable by 15.6% of the parents: those with the lowest dental anxiety agreed to sedation significantly more than those with greater dental anxiety (p = 0.031). Conclusions: Parents preferred more positive approaches and management techniques that involve demonstrations geared for the child's level of understanding. Restraint and voice control were more strongly rejected than sedation.