Behavioral management strategies for young pediatric dental patients with disabilities

Disruptive behaviors, particularly from those lacking in cooperative ability, often are prompted by the need to protest an unpleasant situation and the impulse to protect oneself from perceived danger. Such behaviors, depending on the patient's age and cognitive ability, should be seen as an attempt of the child to cope with a frightening situation. The inherent challenge for both clinician and parent is to avoid unpleasant and unproductive confrontations from the outset, and to create an environment to facilitate the child's ability to accept care, protect the child's self-esteem, foster a positive outlook toward care, and enhance the work quality of dental personnel. In order to use safely any of the modalities for sedation considered [table: see text] in this paper, it is imperative that the clinician receive adequate clinical instruction before private clinical use is attempted.