Assessment of Parental Satisfaction with Dental Treatment - Thesis Example

To provide health professionals, health plans and health care providers, purchasers, integrated delivery systems and others with a comprehensive and accessible tool that will help them obtain objectives and exhaustive information on evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, a complete database called The National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (NGC) was initiated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which was formerly created by AHRQ in collaboration with the American Association of Health Plans (now Americas Health Insurance Plans [AHIP]) and the American Medical Association (NGC 2008).

One of the guidelines presented in the NCG is the Guideline on Behaviour Guidance for the Paediatric Dental Patient published by the American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD) in 2006. This guideline was the result of the symposium held by AAPD in 2003. Behaviour guidance is based on scientific principles, which require communication and interpersonal skills such as empathy, coaching, and listening. The guideline states the importance for dental practitioners to have acquired adequate knowledge and skills all through dental education regarding the effective treatment of childhood dental diseases.

Careful and effective handling of these diseases systematically requires modification of the behaviour of the child under treatment. This practice is referred to as behaviour guidance which is a continuum of interaction engaging the dentist and/or dental team, the patient and the parent/s bound on the subject of communication and education. The goal here is to advocate a deeper understanding of the importance of good oral health and the relevant procedures undertaken for this to be accomplished and, in the process, assuage dental care apprehensions and anxieties.

Another guideline presented in the NCG is the Safe Sedation of Children Undergoing Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures – A National Clinical Guideline by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) published in May of 2004. SIGN clearly affirmed that all sedation practices incorporate risks.