Children’s experiences following a CBT intervention to reduce dental anxiety: One year on

• Main Authors: Baker, S. (Author), Duffy, E. (Author), Kirby, J. (Author), Marshman, Z. (Author), Morgan, A. (Author), Porritt, J. (Author), Prasad, S. (Author), Rodd, H. (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2018
• Subjects: adolescent; Adolescent; article; child; Child; clinical article; cognition; cognitive behavioral therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; dental anxiety; Dental Anxiety; dental disease assessment; Dental Health Surveys; dental procedure; dentist; female; Female; follow up; Follow-Up Studies; girl; human; Humans; male; Male; physician; prevention and control; primary medical care; questionnaire; school child; self help; treatment outcome; Treatment Outcome
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher

 Objective To investigate children’s ongoing experiences of dental care and use of strategies to manage their dental anxiety following cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Design A child self-completed postal questionnaire. Settings Hospital, community and general dental practice. Subjects Questionnaires were sent to 44 children, aged 10–17 years who had been referred to specialist services due to their dental anxiety. Intervention Children had all previously received a guided CBT self-help intervention to reduce their dental anxiety and, on completion of treatment, had been discharged to their referring dentist. Questionnaires were sent out 12–18 months later to ascertain dental attendance patterns and application of any strategies learnt from the previous CBT intervention. Results 22 responses (50%) were received from 16 girls and six boys. Eighty-two percent had subsequently accessed follow-up care with a general dental practitioner and over half of these had undergone a dental procedure, other than a check-up. Ninety-one percent reported feeling less worried about dental visits, than previously, and described a change in cognition, behaviours, and feelings that allowed them to manage their anxiety better. Conclusions CBT has positive immediate and longitudinal effects in reducing children’s dental anxiety. The challenge of adopting this evidence-based approach within primary care settings remains. © 2018, Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved.