Do Therapy Dogs Improve Behavior and Reduce Anxiety in Pediatric Dental Patients?

Launched by MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · Sep 21, 2023

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Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age 3-7
• • Children who are patients at the Medical University of South Carolina Department of Pediatric Dentistry
• • Children classified as category 1 or 2 according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification
• • Children whose parents/guardians are willing to consent to the child participating in the study
• • Availability of parent to be present during treatment
• • Children who require further care that includes the injection of a local anesthetic and whose procedure will take less than one hour
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patients whose cases are considered emergencies
• • Patients who are classified as category 3 or higher according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification (6)
• • If patient's medical status has worsened since initial evaluation
• • Known allergy to dogs or other animals
• • Past history of dental trauma
• • Past history of animal bites or traumatic experience with a dog
• • Emotional or developmental delays
• • If, on the day of the treatment, patient presents with fever or other illness