Effects of continuous patient information in the dental environment.

The effects of varying knowledge of an information system and belief in the effects of this information on discomfort during dental treatment were measured. The information system consisted of patient-operated buttons connected to a series of lights which provided continuous information to the dentist concerning the relative comfort of the patient. Actual information, false information, and knowledge of the information system were combined to form experimental groups. The results showed that those individuals with the ability to provide information to the dentist reported less discomfort than those without this ability during a scaling procedure. During the polishing procedure, the belief of the effect of information resulted in a decrease of reported discomfort.

Utilization of behavioral knowledge from short-term workshops.

Workshops on new methods in the health professions have often been evaluated for participant reaction and understanding of the material. But behavior change on the job following workshops has seldom been assessed. Rehabilitation professionals in seven states were surveyed to determine use of behavior management procedures after three-day training workshops. Those trained within the previous 15 months reported more frequent use of specific procedures than those trained 16 to 30 months before the survey. Positive verbal reinforcement for appropriate behaviors and for behaviors incompatible with inappropriate behaviors were the specific procedures used most frequently by respondents. Group token economies were more frequently used by trainees who worked with homogeneous client populations than those who had clients with different types of disabilities. The need for consultants and additional training were the most frequently cited reasons for not using procedures more frequently.