Tactile Pre-Visit Imagery

In pediatric dentistry, our primary goals are to prevent dental caries and, when necessary, provide treatment in a safe and comforting environment that minimizes anxiety for young patients. By familiarizing young patients with the steps involved in common dental procedures, tactile pre-visit imagery booklets can reduce the fear of the unknown.

Study Objective/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine whether tactile pre-visit imagery could reduce dental anxiety and fear in pediatric patients prior to their first restorative procedure. An additional aspect of this study entails assessing the patient's behavior and determining if it improves with the use of a tactile pre-visit imagery booklet.

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Key information

Conditions

Dental Anxiety in Children Behavior Change

Age range

4 year–10 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

USC Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry - Pediatric Dental Clinic, Los Angeles, California, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Children aged 4-10 years
ASA I or II
Patients who have NOT had dental treatment before
Patients needing at least ONE composite filling or stainless steel crown [CP1] with nitrous oxide and local anesthesia (composite filling must be done at the first treatment visit)
Parents and children must speak English or Spanish

Exclusion criteria

Children with developmental delays or cognitive impairments that may impact their ability to participate in pre-visit imagery activities
Patients with visual or tactile disabilities associated for a particular medical condition or as reported on their medical history form
Patients who refuse to wear nitrous hood
Emergency dental appointments

Treatment and study plan

Tactile Previsit Imagery Booklet

Behavioral

Physical Booklet that walks patient through all materials used during the dental treatmne and contains physical items that are going to be used so that patient can touch and feel.

Primary outcomes

Dental Anxiety

Time frame: At baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after treatment (post-intervention)

Change in dental anxiety before and after treatment. The Venham Picture test is used to measure the child's anxiety. The scores from the Venham Picture test will be compared between pre- and post- treatment to determine changes in dental anxiety.

Secondary outcomes

Change in Behavior

Time frame: At baseline (preintervention) and immediately after treatment (post-intervention)

Change in behavior/cooperation of patient before and after treatment. Child's behavior will be measured using the Frankl Behavior score. The Frankl score will be recorded pre- and post-treatment to determine a change in behavior.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Southern California

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Tactile Pre-Visit Imagery Effect on Behavior of Children During Dental Procedures

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2028
First posted: Jul 22, 2026
Registry last updated: Jul 22, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

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