Pre-Visit Positive Imagery in Reducing Dental Anxiety

NCT06058533 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HS-23-00464
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 55
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether pre-visit positive imagery has an impact in decreasing dental anxiety and fear in pediatric patients as well as increasing patient cooperation during treatment visits. Patients needing at least 1 composite filling with nitrous and local anesthetic will receive a picture book if they are selected in the experimental group, and no picture book if they are in the control group. Patients will be asked to be fill out a pre-operative survey and post-operative survey asking how they feel about treatment. Parents will also be asked to fill out a post-operative survey.

Conditions

Dental Anxiety

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Dental Anxiety

  Patients will also be asked to fill out a pre- and post-survey that allows them to express their level of dental fear and anxiety before and after the appointment using the Venham Picture Test. The total time commitment will be about 20 minutes and will be a part of their normal dental visit, no additional time is needed.

  1 day (1 hour during their dental visit)

• Patient Behavior

  Parents/caregivers will also be given a post-operative survey asking whether they felt the pre-visit positive imagery helped improve patient's behavior.

  1 day (1 hour during their dental visit)

Study Arms (2)

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

No intervention will be given to this group. Each treatment visit will move forward as routine.

Previsit Imagery Group

EXPERIMENTAL

This group will be given previsit imagery (picture book) before treatment visit.

Other: Previsit Imagery Picturebook

Interventions

Previsit Imagery Picturebook OTHER

This picturebook will include pictures of the dental operatory and materials the patient can expect to see during their dental treatment appointment. The pictures included will be generalized pictures of a dental operatory and dental materials. The picture book will also include some words to describe what is happening during the appointment. It is important to note that pictures of the local anesthetic / needle will not be shown in the picture book but will be used during the appointment. The procedures described are standard protocol at both clinics. The traditional picture book shown will be a hard copy.

Previsit Imagery Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 4 Years - 10 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Patients that are healthy with no systemic conditions and are considered ASA I or ASA II
• Patients who have never had any form of dental treatment before.
• Patients who need at least 1 filling to be restored with composite due to caries and will need local anesthetic and nitrous oxide inhalation.
• English speaking patients

You may not qualify if:

• Patients with a visual impairment
• Patients with developmental delays that are unable to read or interpret pictures for their age-level.
• Patients whose treatment changes to something other than composite
• Patients who refuse to wear nitrous hood.
• Patients who are unable to read and comprehend English.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Southern California: lead

Study Sites (1)

Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC

Los Angeles, California, 90089, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Arusha Bhatia

  Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor of Clinical Dentistry

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 15, 2023
• First Posted: September 28, 2023
• Study Start: October 15, 2023
• Primary Completion: June 30, 2025
• Study Completion: June 30, 2025
• Last Updated: July 14, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)