Is your child afraid to go to the dentist? CBT could help

• About one in three children are afraid to go to the dentist and end up with poor oral health, more toothaches, dental infections and tooth decay.
• Children with dental anxiety are frequently referred to specialist services for general anesthesia, presenting additional challenges
• The new study, led by the University of Sheffield, will involve 600 children from 30 dental practices across England and Wales.
• Researchers to Study New Way to Reduce Dental Anxiety Based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A pioneering study by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals will examine whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) could help reduce the worrying number of children who are afraid of the dentist.

About one in three children is afraid to go to the dentist, which leads to avoiding dental care, and ends up with poor oral health, more toothaches, dental infections and tooth decay.

Now, a team of dentists and researchers led by the School of Clinical Dentistry at the University of Sheffield has received more than £ 1.6 million from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to study a new way to reduce dental anxiety based on CBT.

The study, which will involve 600 children from 30 dental practices and clinics across England and Wales, will examine whether specially developed and child-friendly resources for children, parents and dental professionals will help children complete their dental treatment in their family practice rather than being sent to the hospital for specialized services for sedation or general anesthesia.

Principal investigator Professor Zoe Marshman of the School of Clinical Dentistry at the University of Sheffield and Honorary Dental Public Health Consultant at the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust said:

“Dental anxiety is very common in children and can lead to poor oral health, more tooth decay and extractions.

“Traditionally, children with dental anxiety were referred by shopping street dentists to specialist services for sedation or general anesthesia. This approach does nothing to stop their fear, and they can spend a lifetime avoiding the dentist. A simple, cost-effective way to help children with dental anxiety is desperately needed. “

Professor Marshman and the team will explore a new approach, based on the principles of CBT, that involves dental professionals, children and parents working together, using specially designed resources, to help understand why the child is. anxious, give them information and choices about the procedures they might need, suggest activities the children will find useful to help them cope, and facilitate a conversation with the dentist.

There is strong evidence to support the use of CBT, a talk therapy, for other forms of anxiety and mental health problems, however, there is currently very little research on CBT specifically delivered. by dental professionals, rather than psychologists for children with dental anxiety. .

CBT Self-Help Resources were developed online and in print for children aged nine to 16 and are aimed at helping children provide dental information, suggest strategies for reducing anxiety, encourage reflection and promote better communication.

“If our study shows that CBT resources provided by dental professionals are effective, then children can be helped directly in main street dental offices without having to travel for dental treatment in hospitals,” said the professor. Marshman.

“It has the potential to help children who might otherwise spend a lifetime avoid the dentist and ignore potentially serious oral problems. It can also result in savings for the NHS. “

The Four-Year CALM Trial: The Clinic and Cost-Effectiveness of a Guided Self-Help Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention to Reduce Dental Anxiety in Children, is funded by the National Institute for Health Research and will be overseen by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The collaborative team of researchers from the universities of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam, Cardiff, King’s College London, Leeds, Newcastle and York, working closely with patient representatives, are looking to recruit 60 dentists to participate in the study which will begin in September . 2021.

Funding: CALM Trial: The Clinic and Cost-Effectiveness of a Guided Self-Help Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention to Reduce Dental Anxiety in Children, is funded by the National Institute for Health Research and will be overseen by Sheffield Teaching Hospital.