Actively Recruiting
Sensory Adapted Dental Environments to Enhance Oral Care for Children With and Without Dental Fear and Anxiety
Led by University of Southern California · Updated on 2025-10-02
312
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University of Southern California
Lead Sponsor
C
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are evaluating different dental care environments to reduce anxiety, distress, pain, and sensory discomfort during dental cleanings in children aged 6 to 12 years with and without dental fear and anxiety. This randomized clinical trial compares a Sensory Adapted Dental Environment (SADE), video-based modeling (VBM), a combination of both (VBM-SADE), and a regular dental environment (RDE) to see which approach helps children cope better during dental visits. The study includes four groups: one receiving traditional dental cleaning in a regular environment using standard behavior techniques; one watching a 5-minute video modeling a calm dental cleaning before treatment; one treated in a sensory-adapted room with dimmed lights, calming music, and a weighted blanket; and one combining the video modeling with the sensory-adapted environment. Each group experiences specific modifications designed to reduce sensory discomfort and anxiety during the dental procedure. Participants will undergo dental cleaning sessions with monitoring of stress responses such as skin conductance and observations of distress behaviors during the procedure. After each cleaning, questionnaires will assess anxiety, pain, cooperation, sensory sensitivity, satisfaction, and experiences of the child, caregiver, and dentist. Additional assessments before the first cleaning include dental fear and sensory profiles. The study will continue through the dental cleaning visits and include interviews with dentists for up to a year, ensuring comprehensive evaluation of the interventions' impact.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Sensory Adapted Dental Environments to Enhance Oral Care for Children With and Without Dental Fear and Anxiety
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Male or female, aged 6 through 12 years, of any race/ethnicity
- English- or Spanish-speaking child and parent
- Have experienced at least one prior dental cleaning
- If recruited from the emergency department, Emergency Severity Index (ESI) must be level V or IV
You will not qualify if you...
- Dental cleaning within the previous 4 months (i.e., not in need of cleaning)
- Plan to move out of the area within 6 months
- Intellectual or developmental disability (e.g. autism; highly co-morbid with sensory processing difficulties)
- Disability that would interfere with oral care (e.g. cleft lip/palate, cerebral palsy, genetic/endocrine/metabolic dysfunction) or medical condition that would place the child at increased risk during the study (e.g., uncontrollable seizures)
- Daily use of anti-cholinergic drugs (i.e., interferes with EDA recordings)
- Presence of orthodontia (braces) or with a plan to get braces in the upcoming 6 months
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - Multiple visits over the course of the study
Participants receive dental cleanings under different conditions including traditional dental environment, video-based modeling, sensory adapted dental environment, or a combination of video-based modeling and sensory adaptation to reduce anxiety and improve oral care experience.
4 dental cleaning visits with different intervention conditions
Duration - Immediately after each dental cleaning visit
Participants complete questionnaires and assessments immediately after each dental cleaning to evaluate anxiety, cooperation, sensory sensitivity, and satisfaction with the intervention.
4 post-cleaning assessment sessions
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States, 90027
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
L
Leah Stein Duker, PhD, OTR/L
R
Riley McGuire, OTD, OTR/L, MA
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
CROSSOVER
Primary Purpose
OTHER
Number of Arms
4
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