Resumo

GOMES, Cláudia Lobelli Rangel et al. Perception of dental care among children. Braz. J. Oral Sci. [online]. 2016, vol.15, n.2, pp. 185-190. ISSN 1677-3225.

Children that come to dental offices with fear and anxiety usually tend to resist conditioning mechanisms. Aim: To evaluate children's perception of dental treatment and to identify the factors influencing this perception. Methods: For this study, we selected a random sample of 100 children of both genders aged 3 to 12, treated at the Department of Dentistry of a University (Group I) and at a Children's Hospital (Group II). A structured questionnaire about the child's perception about dental care was applied and the children were asked to draw a picture of this topic. Results: This positive perception was more accentuated in Group I (94%) and in children aged 3 to 5 years (100%), particularly in girls (78%). The main cause of fear was the use of needles (42.4%). Many children (24.2%) reported to prefer the noninvasive procedures. Conclusion: A positive perception of dental treatment was observed in most children. Therefore, dental pediatricians must be aware of the children's perception for establishing a better conditioning.

Palavras-chave : Child; Fear; Pediatric Dentistry..