Barriers to Using Advanced and Pharmacological Behavior Management Techniques: A Survey of Pediatric Dentists in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Osama Felemban; Ohoud Sijini; Ruba Baamer; Zuhor Bukhari; Khlood Baghlaf; Amani Sait; Manal Almalik

doi:10.4103/jispcd.jispcd_134_23

Barriers to Using Advanced and Pharmacological Behavior Management Techniques: A Survey of Pediatric Dentists in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

J Int Soc Prev Community Dent. 2024 Feb 27;14(1):35-42. doi: 10.4103/jispcd.jispcd_134_23. eCollection 2024 Jan-Feb.

Authors

Osama Felemban¹, Ohoud Sijini², Ruba Baamer³, Zuhor Bukhari³, Khlood Baghlaf¹, Amani Sait⁴, Manal Almalik⁵

Affiliations

¹ Pediatric Dentistry Department, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
² Pediatric Dentistry Department, King Abdulaziz University Dental Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
³ Pediatric Dentistry Department, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ General Dentistry Department, Ministry of Health, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Pediatric Dentistry Department, King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Aim: In this study, we assessed the use of advanced pharmacological behavior management techniques (BMTs) among pediatric dentists in Saudi Arabia and the barriers to their clinical application.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered electronic survey that targeted members of the Saudi Society of Pediatric Dentistry. The questionnaire included questions on five techniques of advanced and pharmacological behavior management recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Descriptive statistics, frequency, Chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were used to present the outcomes and independent variables.

Results: A total of 57 pediatric dentists completed the survey. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) sedation, general anesthesia (GA), and protective stabilization were used regularly by pediatric dentists in 70.2%, 68.4%, and 56.1% of the participants, respectively. A few participants reported using oral (14.0%) or intravenous (IV) sedation (10.5%) regularly. The most common barriers to using these techniques were either dentists' discomfort or the non-availability of the equipment/drugs.

Conclusions: The most common method used by pediatric dentists was N₂O inhalation sedation, followed by GA and protective stabilization. The participants' use of pharmacological BMTs, including IV and oral sedation, was relatively low.

Keywords: General anesthesia; nitrous oxide; protective stabilization.