Clinical trial NCT03324347: Dog-Assisted Therapy in Dentistry
Official title: Dog-Assisted Therapy in Dental Care Settings
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Dental Anxiety
Pediatric Dentistry
Animal Assisted Therapy
Keywords: Animal-Assisted Intervention
Dog-Assisted Intervention
Dental Care
Questionnaire
Pilot Project
Dental Clinic
Lead sponsor: University of Tromso
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2017-10-27
Enrollment: 16
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 6
Maximum age (years): 12
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Dog-assisted therapy (DAT) is used in several contexts within various areas of health care. One documented effect is that the proximity of a dog may lower anxiety in perceived stressful situations. Many individuals are afraid to visit the dentist, and someone to the extent that they need medication or anesthesia in order to complete their dental treatment. Based on the literature and own empirical observations, the investigators believe that dog-assisted therapy in connection with dental care may have a positive effect on children with dental anxiety or children that avoid dental care. It is desirable to restrict the use of drugs for these patients because of associated risk and side effects.

The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate whether using a specially trained therapy dog can have a positive effect on children who are afraid in a dental care setting. Eligible participants (n=16) will meet twice at the dental clinic; one treatment session with a therapy dog in the dental clinic and one without. The therapy dog will be accompanied by a certified dog handler. The investigators will measure physiological variations before, during and after the treatment session. The guardian will complete validated questionnaires portraying the participant's experience of previous dental care. The participant and their guardian will also complete validated questionnaires describing their reactions from the two treatment sessions. A descriptive log for each session will be completed by the investigators.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Children who are afraid of visiting the dental office / children who avoid dental treatment,
* Children who accept the presence of a dog,
* Parents or guardians who accept the presence of a dog

Exclusion Criteria:

* Children or parent/guardian that are afraid of dogs,
* Children or parent/guardian with known dog allergy,
* Children who are immunocompromised,
* Children who cannot understand or complete the patient-questionnaire

Primary outcomes:
measure: Examination achieved; Yes or No
timeFrame: up to 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Child satisfaction
timeFrame: up to 8 weeks
measure: Measurement of anxiety through the CFSS-DS scale (Dental subscale of Children's Fear Survey Schedule)
timeFrame: up to 8 weeks
measure: Salivary cortisol level
timeFrame: up to 8 weeks
measure: Heart rate variability
timeFrame: up to 8 weeks
measure: Skin conductance (Electrodermal activity)
timeFrame: up to 8 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Tromsø
country: Norway
facility: Department of Clinical Dentistry, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Study officials:
affiliation: Department of Clinical Dentistry, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
name: Anne M Gussgard, DDS,MSc,PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: