Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Nov 14:2024:5893717.
doi: 10.1155/2024/5893717. eCollection 2024.

Understanding Parental Emotions: Children's Dental Visits and the Separation Experience

Ruba Odeh  1 , Carel Brigi  1 , Tarun Walia  1 , Raghad Hashim  2
Affiliations

Understanding Parental Emotions: Children's Dental Visits and the Separation Experience

Ruba Odeh et al. Int J Dent. .

Abstract

Objectives: The presence of parents during dental treatment in children is a controversial concern in dental practice. This is because of conflicting views and practices regarding the presence of parents. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate parental response to their presence/absence during their child's dental treatment and to determine the factors that would influence their decision. Methods: A cross-sectional survey questionnaire was administered to United Arab Emirates (UAE) parents. A total of 240 parents participated in the survey, which contained 15 questions that analyzed the participants' demographic details, dental procedures influencing parental separation, and factors influencing their desire to be present during their child's dental treatment. Results: Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests (p < 0.05). The majority (78%) of the parents chose to stay with their children during dental treatment, with a higher prevalence of female parents. The results showed that more parents opted to be with their children during invasive procedures. Younger parents are more likely to stay with their children during dental treatment. The factors influencing parental presence/absence in the dental treatment room depended on the age and nationality of the parent and the type of dental procedure (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Dental practitioners must provide parents with sufficient opportunities to be present during their children's dental procedures. The factors influencing parental presence/absence should be considered before deciding whether to include or exclude parents in the dental treatment room.

Keywords: United Arab Emirates; parental separation; pediatric dentistry.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Parental presence based on the type of dental treatment. LA, local anesthesia.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Parental presence depending on the dental appointment phase.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Casamassimo P. S., Wilson S., Gross L. Effects of Changing U.S. Parenting Styles on Dental Practice: Perceptions of Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Presented to the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry 16th Annual Session. Pediatric Dentistry . 2001;24(1):18–22. - PubMed
    1. Veerkamp J. S. J., Wright G. Z. Children’s Behavior in the Dental Office. In: Wright G. Z., Kupietzky A., editors. Behavior Management in Dentistry for Children . Inc., USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2014. pp. 23–33.
    1. Sabbagh H. J., Sijini O. T. Parental Preference for Parental Separation and Their Satisfaction Regarding Their Children Dental Treatment in Pediatric Dental Clinics in Saudi Arabia. Journal of International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry . 2020;10(1):116–123. doi: 10.4103/jispcd.JISPCD_280_19. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. De Luca M. P., Massignan C., Bolan M., et al. Does the Presence of Parents in the Dental Operatory Room Influence Children’s Behaviour, Anxiety and Fear During Their Dental Treatment? A Systematic Review. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry . 2021;31(3):318–336. doi: 10.1111/ipd.12762. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Marcum B. K., Turner C., Courts F. J. Pediatric Dentists’ Attitudes Regarding Parental Presence During Dental Procedures. Pediatric Dentistry . 1995;17(7):432–436. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources