Do Therapy Dogs Improve Behavior and Reduce Anxiety in Pediatric Dental Patients?

Not Applicable

Brief Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to assess whether the presence of a certified therapy dog during dental procedures that require an injection reduces anxiety and improves behavior in pediatric dental patients.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does the presence of a certified therapy dog during dental procedure requiring an injection reduce anxiety and improve behavior in pediatric dental patients?

* How do the parents of pediatric dental patients who participate in the study view the use of a certified therapy dog in their child's treatment?

* Does the presence of a certified therapy dog result in different concentrations of microbes in the treatment room?

All participants will receive standard of care. Researchers will compare the group with a therapy dog present to a group who does not have a therapy dog present to see if heart rate, oxygen saturation, percentage of nitrous oxide administered, and Frankl scores differ between the groups.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Age 3-7
Children who are patients at the Medical University of South Carolina Department of Pediatric Dentistry
Children classified as category 1 or 2 according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification
Children whose parents/guardians are willing to consent to the child participating in the study
Availability of parent to be present during treatment
Children who require further care that includes the injection of a local anesthetic and whose procedure will take less than one hour

Exclusion Criteria

Patients whose cases are considered emergencies
Patients who are classified as category 3 or higher according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification (6)
If patient's medical status has worsened since initial evaluation
Known allergy to dogs or other animals
Past history of dental trauma
Past history of animal bites or traumatic experience with a dog
Emotional or developmental delays
If, on the day of the treatment, patient presents with fever or other illness

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Therapy Dog	Therapy Dog	This group will have a certified therapy dog present in the treatment room throughout the procedure. Prior to the procedure, the participant will be briefly introduced to the therapy dog and handler, who will remain in the room until the end of the procedure.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Behavioral measure, using the Frankl score	This behavior measure will be recorded at four timepoints: 1) immediately before the procedure, 2) during the procedure 3) during the procedure, and 4) immediately after the procedure	Behavior will be recorded using the Frankl score, which ranges from 1 (definitely negative) to 4 (definitely positive)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Parent survey responses	The surveys will be administered immediately after the procedure.	Parents will be given a short survey about their child's participation in the study. Each arm of the study has its own survey. The survey for the control group is 4 multiple choice questions and one open-ended question. The survey for the experimental group contains 3 multiple choice questions and 1 open-ended question.
Anxiety measure, oxygen saturation	Oxygen saturation will be recorded at four timepoints: 1) immediately before the procedure, 2) during the procedure 3) during the procedure, and 4) immediately after the procedure	The participant's oxygen saturation will be recorded, using a finger pulse oximeter
Microbial concentration	Experimental group: prior to arrival of therapy dog, and after departure of therapy dog. Control group: prior to arrival of participant, after departure of participant	In the experimental arm, the dental operatory will be swabbed prior to the arrival of the therapy dog and again after the therapy dog as left. For the control group, the operatory will be swabbed.
Anxiety measure, heart rate	The heart rate will be recorded at four timepoints: 1) immediately before the procedure, 2) during the procedure 3) during the procedure, and 4) immediately after the procedure	The participant's heart rate will be recorded, using a finger pulse oximeter

Locations (1): Medical University of South Carolina Pediatric Dental Clinic
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Charleston, South Carolina, United States