Procedures for reducing dental fear in children with autism

Children with autism are often unable to tolerate dental examinations because of fear associated with sights and sounds in the dental operatory. This study applies procedures commonly used to reduce phobic behavior in otherwise normal persons and individuals with mental retardation, to dental fear in children with autism. Three male subjects were desensitized to a dental exam by the experimenter who paired the anxiety-causing event with stronger stimuli that elicited anxiety-antagonistic responses. Application of the treatment package resulted in successful completion of the steps in a dental exam in an analog setting, and a clinically significant increase in the number of steps completed in vivo. This study demonstrates that children with autism can be trained to cooperate during a dental exam.