Basic concepts of Health Planning

Planning is making current decisions in the light of their future effects.

Health planning is a process culminating in decisions regarding the future provisions of health facilities and services to meet health needs of the community.

Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) for tooth decay

Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART), is based on removing decalcified tooth tissue using only hand instruments and restoring the cavity with an adhesive filling material.
A minimally invasive approach to both prevent dental carious lesions and stop its further progression. 

Guidelines on Behavior Guidance for the Pediatric Dental Patient

Safe and effective treatment of dental diseases often requires modifying the child’s behaviour. Behaviour guidance is a continuum of interaction involving the dentist and the dental team, the patient, and the parent directed toward communication and education.

Recommendations for Basic behavior guidance

Communication and communicative guidance

Communicative management and appropriate use of commands are used universally in paediatric dentistry. Communicative management comprises a host of techniques which include, tell-show-do, voice control, nonverbal communication, positive reinforcement, and distraction. The dentist should consider the cognitive development of the patient, as well as the presence of other communication deficits (eg, hearing disorder), when choosing specific communicative management techniques.

1.Tell-show-do

A technique of behaviour shaping used by many paediatric professionals. The technique involves verbal explanations of procedures in phrases  appropriate to the developmental level of the patient (tell); demonstrations for the patient of the visual, auditory,  olfactory, and tactile aspects of the procedure in a carefully defined, nonthreatening setting (show); and then, without deviating from the explanation and demonstration, completion of the procedure (do).

2. Voice control

Voice     control  is             a              controlled           alteration            of            voice         volume, tone, or pace to influence and direct the patient’s     behaviour. Parents unfamiliar with this possibly aversive technique may benefit from an explanation prior to its use to      prevent misunderstanding.                       

3. Nonverbal communication

Reinforcement     and guidance of behaviour through appropriate contact, posture, facial expression, and body language.

4.  Positive reinforcement

In            the         process of            establishing        desirable             patient     behaviour, it is essential to give appropriate feedback. Positive     reinforcement is an effective technique to reward desired     behaviours and, thus, strengthen the recurrence of those behaviours. Social reinforces include positive voice modulation, facial expression, verbal praise, and appropriate physical    demonstrations of affection by all members of the dental team. Non-social reinforces include tokens and toys.                               

5. Distraction

It is the technique           of            diverting              the         patient’s attention from what may be perceived as an unpleasant procedure. Giving the patient a short break during a stressful procedure can be an effective use of distraction prior to considering more advanced behaviour guidance techniques.

Parental presence/absence

The        presence             or            absence               of            the         parent  sometimes can be used to gain cooperation for treatment. Parents’ desire to be present during their child’s treatment does not mean they intellectually distrust the dentist. It might mean they are uncomfortable if they visually cannot verify their child’s safety.  It is important to understand the changing emotional needs of parents because of the growth of a latent but natural sense to be protective of their children. Practitioners should become receptive to the involvement of parents and welcome the questions and concerns for their children.

Nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation

Safe       and        effective technique to reduce anxiety and enhance effective communication. Its onset of action is rapid, the effects easily are titrated and reversible, and recovery is rapid and complete. Additionally, nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation mediates a variable degree of analgesia, amnesia, and gag reflex reduction.

Adopted from the guidelines of AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY