Visiting the dental visit can be a scary experience for a lot of people including myself.
Many children including children with autism experience anxiety, sensory sensitivities, or communication barriers, which makes dental visits stressful for both the patient and the provider. These challenges lead to incomplete treatments, increased distress for the paediatric clients, and frustration for both caregivers and dental professionals.
The following are helpful applied behavior analysis(ABA) tips providers can use in a dental clinic.These are less traumatic and does not involve any physical restraints or sedation.
One effective approach is reinforcement, particularly positive and differential reinforcement. This involves identifying a child’s highly preferred items or activities, such as a favourite toy, sticker, or break time, and using them as reinforcers for tolerating small steps in the dental visit. Differential reinforcement strengthens appropriate behaviours while ignoring problem behaviours. For example, if a child sits in the dental chair for ten seconds without resistance, they will receive verbal praise and a small reward. Over time, this duration can be gradually increased to encourage longer compliance.
Another useful strategy is task analysis and shaping, which involves breaking the dental visit into small, manageable steps and reinforcing each successful attempt before progressing. Task analysis helps teach complex behaviours by dividing them into simpler components, while shaping gradually reinforces closer approximations to the desired behaviour. For example, the process may start with the child entering the dental room, followed by touching the dental chair, then sitting for a few seconds, and eventually allowing an oral examination. Each step would be reinforced immediately before progressing to the next, making the experience more structured and less overwhelming.
Desensitisation and pairing can help reduce fear and anxiety by gradually exposing the child to dental tools and procedures in a non-threatening way. Pairing would involve allowing the child to lead the appointment and explore the dental equipments. For instance, a child could be allowed to explore a toothbrush or dental mirror on the first day of an appointment and procedures can be scheduled on other days. Over time, this technique can help the child become more comfortable with dental procedures.
Gentle Smiles: ABA Strategies for Stress-Free Dental Visits in Children with Autism
