CHILDREN’S PERCEPTION OF THEIR DENTISTS

Maha AL-SARHEED

INTRODUCTION

Fear of dentistry occurs in 5-6% percent of population and 16% among school-age children

Friedson, 1956

Fear of dentists and dental treatment has been considered a major hindrance to the delivery of quality dental services Corah et al., 1979

Continued

Good communication between physicians and patients has demonstrable consequences for patients’ emotional and physical well-being

Waitzkin, 1984

A strong rapport on child’s first visit helps create a comfortable atmosphere in which the child does not feel threatened

Mathewson, 1995

Continued

Important factor to patient’s perception and liking of dentist

Sight of anesthetic needle Sight, sound and sensation of dental

handpiece and bur

Kleinknecht et al., 1973

Aim of the Study

To identify children attitude to the dental visit and their perception toward their dentist

METHOD and SUBJECTS

Saudi children aged 9-12 years

Elementary schools

Survey by questionnaire

Items: 1-4, Multiple choice questions

Items 5-11: set of pictures about clinic, dentist gender, outfit and infection control measures

Continued

Approval of the CDRC

Pilot study on 20 children

Data coded and entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)

Descriptive and analytic approaches used

Chi-square test and non-parametric test at 5% level of significance used

RESULTS

Respond rate of 94.19 %

Demographic distribution

Age(%) Gender(%)

9-10 199 (52)

11-12 184 (48)

Male 189(49.3)

Female 194(50.7)

Continued

Table 2 Summary of child’s response to the dental visit

P>0.005 as male (16%) didn’t like their visit compared to 6% of female

Question Response Number(%)

Have you been to dentist Yes

No

282(73.6)

101(26.4)

How did you feel Like it

Don’t like it

Afraid

Don’t know

246(64.2)

43(11.2)

40(10.4)

54(14.1)

Continued

Children’s perception to Dentist gender and body smell

Items Number (%)

Do you prefer to be treated by a male or female dentist?

Female

Male

184(48)

199(52)

How does your dentist smell?

Good

Bad

337(88)

46(12)

Continued

35

12.8 13.6

38.6

0

10

20

30

40P

erce

nta

geDentist Protection

Which dentist do you prefer?

Continued

29.2

9.2

0

10

20

30

Per

cen

tage

Dentist Protection

P> 0.05

Continued

90.3

9.70

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percentage

Female dentist outfit

86.9

13.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Per

cent

age

Male dentist outfit

Continued

17

2.1

83 97.9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Per

cent

age

FemaleMale

P>0.005 as female liked more colored outfit

Continued

41.8

85.2

0

20

40

60

80P

erce

ntag

e

Favorite clinic

Continued

74.2

30.626.7

14 12.2

0

20

40

60

80

Per

cen

tage

Injection Extraction Teeth drilling Restorations Dentalinstruments

Children responses

What are the things that you hate most when you go to the dentist

CONCLUSION

¾ of the study sample had visit a dental clinic

60% of them liked their dental visit

No preferable of dentist’s gender

Continued

Majority reported dentist having a good smell

Traditional white coat is still preferred for dentist in the dental clinic

A male dentist with traditional head cover is preferred

Continued

Half the children preferred dentists to wear mask & protective eye glasses

Children favored a decorated dental clinic with toys and posters

Children were concerned about dental instruments and procedure rather than dentist itself

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