Basic behavior guidance techniques A survey of members of the Spanish Society of Paediatric Dentistry

Background: Over the last 20–30 years social trends, educational and parenting patterns, and the ethical and legal factors guiding them have led to the revaluation and even abandonment of some traditionally used behavior guidance techniques (BGTs). Aims: To profile the professionals providing specialized pediatric treatments in Spain and understand changes in their preferences and use of basic BGTs, and the evolution of these preferences. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study was designed. Methods: One hundred and twenty-six dentists completed a previously validated survey. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were performed to analyze the questionnaire data. Results: The most common BGTs were “Tell/Show/Do” (98%) and positive reinforcement (92.1%), and the most abandoned BGT was: “hand-over-mouth” (15%), because it was rejected by parents and because of potential legal problems and psychological consequences for the patients. Of note, 37% of the professionals allowed the patient's parents to be present during the treatment. Conclusions: There has been a notable decrease in the use of certain BGTs in Spain, especially hand-over-mouth and voice control, because they are becoming less socially acceptable as the way society relates to and educates children changes.