Effect of Self-designed Game Hop-A-Dent on 6-10-year-old Children's Anxiety Compared with the Tell-Show-Do Method: A...

The first dental visit is crucial in shaping a child's attitude toward dental care. Anxiety during appointments can lead to uncooperative behavior and affect treatment outcomes. Pediatric dentists use various behavior management techniques, such as the Tell-Show-Do (TSD) method, to ease anxiety by explaining, demonstrating, and then performing the procedure. Recently, this method evolved into the Tell-Play-Do (TPD) approach, which includes hands-on learning to reduce fear. With children increasingly using mobile devices, we developed an indoor game to help familiarize them with dental procedures in a playful way. This study will assess the effectiveness of TPD using our game compared to the TSD for managing anxious children.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the TPD technique using a self-designed game (Hop-A-Dent) compared to the Tell-Show-Do technique in managing anxious children.

A total of 40 children, aged 6-10 years, were graded according to Wright's modification of Frankl's behavior rating scale scores 2, 3, and 4, and their pulse rate was recorded while examining them. Children were allocated into two groups. In group 1, children played the game as guided by the operator, post which their anxiety and behavior were rated according to Venham's scale. After 7 minutes of the initiation of treatment, their pulse rate was recorded again. In group 2, the TSD technique was used, and anxiety, behavior, and pulse rate were recorded in the same manner as in group 1.

There was no significant statistical difference between the groups regarding age. There was a statistically significant reduction in pulse score among group 1 (p = 0.002*) and an increment in pulse score among group 2 (p = 0.057*). There was a statistically insignificant difference between the two groups for Venham's Score with p = 0.819. There was a significant difference in behavior change, with most of the cases in group 1 (58.8%) being relaxed and comfortable, and most of the cases in group 2 (41.2%) having mild discomfort during the treatment.

This self-designed game has successfully demonstrated that most of the children in this group were more relaxed and comfortable compared to those in the conventional group, which showed mild discomfort. This game helps the child think faster and come up with the right solution as they get to explore the instruments. Hence, the TPD technique could be an alternate behavioral modification technique to the TSD in pediatric dentistry.

Shah RR, Chandak A, Bhattad MS, et al. Effect of Self-designed Game Hop-A-Dent on 6-10-year-old Children's Anxiety Compared with the Tell-Show-Do Method: A Clinical Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2025;18(10):1217-1221.