Positive Pre-Visit Imagery Does Not Reduce Dental Anxiety in Children

NCT06966726 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 71431923.0.0000.5537
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 69
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized triple-blind clinical trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of positive pre-visit imagery in managing dental anxiety (DA) in children aged 5 to 13 years. DA is a common barrier to dental treatment and is often triggered by procedures such as local anaesthesia. Participants were randomly assigned to view either positive dental images or neutral nature images before treatment. Anxiety levels were assessed before and after the procedure using the Venham Picture Test. The study hypothesizes that exposure to positive dental imagery prior to the appointment may reduce anxiety levels, promoting a more positive dental experience for pediatric patients.

Conditions

Dental Anxiety; Dental Fear and Anxiety

Keywords

dental anxiety; pediatric dentistry

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Anxiety Level (Venham Picture Test - VPT)

  The primary outcome of this study is to evaluate the level of dental anxiety before and after the dental procedure.

  Day 1 (before and after the dental procedure)

Study Arms (2)

Positive Imagery Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants were exposed to positive images related to dental care (e.g., smiling children after treatment, positive interactions with the dentist) for 2 minutes prior to the dental procedure.

Behavioral: Positive Dental Imagery

Neutral imagery group

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants were exposed to neutral images (nature scenes) for 2 minutes prior to the dental procedure.

Behavioral: Neutral Nature Imagery

Interventions

Positive Dental Imagery BEHAVIORAL

Children were shown four A4-sized laminated color images depicting positive dental scenes (e.g., children interacting happily with the dentist, smiling after treatment) for 2 minutes prior to the procedure.

Positive Imagery Group

Neutral Nature Imagery BEHAVIORAL

Children were shown four A4-sized laminated color images depicting neutral nature scenes (e.g., a beach, sunset, flowers) for 2 minutes prior to the procedure.

Neutral imagery group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 13 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• children aged 5-13 years who were admitted to the Paediatric Dentistry Clinic of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, and who required local anaesthesia during dental treatment

You may not qualify if:

• Children with intellectual disabilities, visual or hearing impairments and children requiring emergency treatment were excluded

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte: lead

Study Sites (1)

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte - Departamento de odontologia

Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, 59052-000, Brazil

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Kamel DO, Wahba NA, Talaat DM. Comparison between Positive Dental Images and Neutral Images in Managing Anticipatory Anxiety of Children. J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2017;41(2):116-119. doi: 10.17796/1053-4628-41.2.116.

  PMID: 28288299 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anxiety Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 29, 2025
• First Posted: May 13, 2025
• Study Start: October 25, 2023
• Primary Completion: July 29, 2024
• Study Completion: December 17, 2024
• Last Updated: May 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Locations

BR (1)