Parents’ Attitudes and Preferences Toward Behavior Management Techniques in Pediatric dentists

Abstract

Introduction: Pediatric clinical tools are of importance and vital in safeguarding, effective, and efficient provision of healthcare to children/young people. BMTs are essential clinical instruments that are needed to ensure effective healthcare provision. Parental involvement and consultation in making medical decisions is a very strong emphasis within the cultural values in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), therefore parental consent is a mandatory requirement of ethical medical practice of BMT. The available literature is nearly focused on pediatric dentistry and this requires the synthesis of evidence systematically and hence a culturally suitable evidence base on the BMT protocols should be determined in the broader context of the wide range of pediatric medical services in the Kingdom. Study Objective: This systematic review aims to compile and critically examine the available evidence on how parents view and utilize Behaviour Management Techniques (BMTs) that are used by the pediatrician community in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: This systematic review has been carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement to the letter. An extremely sensitive search tool was utilised in large global biomedical data (such as MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) to locate primary research evaluating parental attitude towards BMTs in KSA. Independent reviewers selected and extracted data in studies. Conclusion: The synthesis showed that Saudi parents were highly accepting of BMTs depending on the intent of the technique. The methods that received the highest approval rates (usually more than 90%), were supportive and communicative (Tell-Show-Do and positive reinforcement). Acceptance of higher or lower methods is highly contingent: general physical restraint is commonly rejected, whereas Protectionary Stabilization is accepted in large majority (more than 90 percent) when specifically applied as a safety adjunct measure during complex surgical operations such as moderate sedation.