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This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effect of a brief teledentistry consultation on dental anxiety in children aged 7-11 years. Two hundred children with no previous dental visits or treatment experience were randomly assigned to either a teledentistry group or a conventional clinical examination group. The teledentistry group received a standardized 3-5-minute pre-appointment video consultation via WhatsApp before their first dental visit. Dental anxiety was assessed using subjective and physiological parameters before and after the examination. The study investigated whether teledentistry could reduce dental anxiety and improve children's adaptation to their first dental visit.
This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Aydin University, Istanbul, Turkey. The study included 200 children aged 7-11 years with no previous dental visits, dental treatment experience, or dental complaints. Participants were randomly allocated to either a teledentistry group (n=100) or a conventional clinical examination group (n=100). In the teledentistry group, children participated in a standardized synchronous 3-5-minute pre-appointment consultation via WhatsApp. During the consultation, children were introduced to the dentist, dental instruments, oral health concepts, and the examination process. The conventional group underwent direct face-to-face examination without prior virtual interaction. Dental anxiety was assessed using the Facial Image Scale (FIS), heart rate, and oxygen saturation measured before and after clinical examination. The primary outcome was the difference in post-examination FIS scores between groups. Secondary outcomes included changes in heart rate and oxygen saturation.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teledentistry Group | Experimental | Participants received a standardized 3-5-minute synchronous teledentistry consultation via WhatsApp before their first dental examination. Children were introduced to the dentist, dental instruments, oral health concepts, and the examination process. |
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| Conventional Clinical Examination Group | Active Comparator | Participants underwent a conventional face-to-face clinical examination without prior teledentistry consultation. Children met the pediatric dentist for the first time during their scheduled dental appointment and received a routine clinical examination. |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teledentistry Consultation | Behavioral | A standardized synchronous teledentistry consultation delivered via WhatsApp for 3-5 minutes before the first dental examination. Children were introduced to the dentist, dental instruments, oral health concepts, and the examination process. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Subjective dental anxiety in children | Dental anxiety levels of children assessed before and after the first dental examination using the Facial Image Scale (FIS). | Before and immediately after the first dental examination (same day) |
| Objective dental anxiety assessed by oxygen saturation | Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) was measured before and immediately after the first dental examination as an objective physiological parameter of dental anxiety. | Before and immediately after the first dental examination (same day) |
| Objective dental anxiety assessed by heart rate | Heart rate was measured before and immediately after the first dental examination as an objective physiological parameter of dental anxiety. | Before and immediately after the first dental examination (same day) |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Istanbul Aydin University | Istanbul | Kucukcekmece | Turkey (Türkiye) |
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Participants were randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups: a teledentistry group and a conventional clinical examination group in a 1:1 allocation ratio.
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| Conventional Clinical Examination | Other | Participants underwent a routine face-to-face dental examination without prior teledentistry consultation. Children attended their first dental visit and received a standard clinical examination performed by a pediatric dentist. |
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