Development and testing of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy resource to reduce dental anxiety in Brazilian children

Objective: To develop a self-help resource based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, investigate the approval of the material by participants, and evaluate its feasibility for clinical use.

Material and Methods: The resource was developed through a person-centered qualitative approach and applied in a test with adolescents aged 10 to 16 who presented dental anxiety identified through the Dental Question Anxiety (DAQ). The level of anxiety was measured before and after the end of the treatment, using the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale - Faces. Oral health teams answered structured questionnaires about the resource, while the parents' assessment was carried out based on the interpretation of the dialogue with the dentist.

Results: In total, 10 adolescent/parent dyads and 13 oral health teams participated. The average score for initial anxiety was 23.0 and 19.33 for follow-up assessments. A reduction in dental anxiety was observed, in addition to good acceptance of the material.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate the effectiveness and acceptability of the resource and reinforce the need for a Randomized Clinical Trial.