RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT06912854

Sensory Adapted Dental Environments to Enhance Oral Care for Children With and Without Dental Fear and Anxiety

Sponsor

University of Southern California

Enrollment

312 participants

Start Date

May 9, 2025

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Dental Fear and Anxiety

Summary

This study is a randomized clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of a Sensory Adapted Dental Environment (SADE) alone and together with a video-based modeling (VBM) component (VBM-SADE), compared to a regular dental environment (RDE) and/or VBM alone, to reduce anxiety, distress behavior, pain, and sensory discomfort during a dental cleaning in children with and without dental fear and anxiety.

Eligibility

Min Age: 6 YearsMax Age: 12 Years

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This study is testing whether a "sensory-adapted" dental environment — modified lighting, sounds, and touch during dental cleanings — reduces stress and makes dental visits easier for children, particularly those with sensory processing difficulties. **You may be eligible if...** - Your child is between 6 and 12 years old - Your child speaks English or Spanish - Your child has had at least one dental cleaning before - Your child is in need of a dental cleaning now **You may NOT be eligible if...** - Your child had a dental cleaning within the past 4 months - Your child has an intellectual or developmental disability (such as autism) - Your child has a disability that would interfere with dental care (such as cleft palate or cerebral palsy) - Your child takes anticholinergic medications daily - Your child has braces or plans to get them in the next 6 months - Your family plans to move out of the area within 6 months Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

OTHERSensory Adapted Dental Environment

The SADE condition consists of physical adaptations (visual, auditory, tactile modifications) to the dental environment meant to create a less anxiety-provoking sensory experience. Direct overhead fluorescent lighting and the regular dental overhead lamp will be turned off and darkening curtains will cover the windows. Adapted lighting will include slow moving visual color effects (Snoezelen) shining on the ceiling in the child's visual field. The dentist will wear a surgical dental headlamp directed into the patient's mouth, reducing bright lights shining in the child's eyes. Auditory stimuli will be calming rhythmic music (Dan Gibson's Exploring Nature) projected via portable speakers. The tactile deep pressure stimulus will be a commercially available weighted blanket (10-15% of the child's weight) placed on the child to provide deep "hugging" pressure, which produces a calming effect.

OTHERVideo-based Modeling

Participants will watch an approximately 5-minute video depicting a dental cleaning being performed on a sex and age-matched cooperative child, designed to expose the participant to the activities of the dental cleaning and thereby create a less anxiety-provoking dental experience.

Locations(1)

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California, United States

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NCT06912854

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