Children’s consent to dental treatment

Abstract EN

Objective: To determine whether children’s decision regarding their dental treatment is affected by their age and gender and whether dental anxiety has an effect on their decision.

Methods: Participants in this study were 285 children including 148 boys and 137 girls aged 12-16 years old.

Three questionnaires were distributed to children in their classroom at local Liverpool School-Broadgreen Comprehensive School.

The first questionnaire was to assess their dental anxiety; the second was to determine the children’s ability in making a decision concerning their dental treatment.

Results: Analysis of data demonstrated a significant relationship between decision-making and age of children (p <0.05).

Limited relationship was found between making a decision and both gender and dental anxiety.

Conclusion: Age of children was more strongly related to understanding the treatment and making a decision than gender and dental anxiety.