Long-term Dental Anxiety Levels in Children Treated with and without Papoose Board: A Retrospective Cohort Pilot Study.

Background: The use of the papoose board in pediatric dental treatment has been controversial due to ethical concerns about psychological impact and informed consent. Although its use is restricted or prohibited in some regions, it remains accepted in others for managing uncooperative or highly anxious children, particularly in emergency dental settings.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare dental anxiety levels in children who had undergone dental treatment using a papoose board at least 3 years earlier (papoose board group) with those who had never been treated with a papoose board (control group). Additionally, within the papoose board group, the study examined differences in dental anxiety levels between children who remembered their papoose board experience (recalled group) and those who did not (unrecalled group).

Materials and methods: Ninety children, aged 7-11 years, meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomly selected and assessed for dental anxiety using the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDASf) at a university dental hospital or via video call. The correlation between dental anxiety levels and the variables was analyzed using Chi-square tests.

Results: The study included 45 participants in each of the papoose board and control groups. Within the papoose board group, 16 children (35.6%) recalled their papoose board experiences, while 29 children (64.4%) did not, with an average of 5.2 ± 1.61 years since the last experience. No significant difference was found in dental anxiety levels between the papoose board group and the control group (p = 0.833), nor between the recalled and unrecalled groups (p = 0.608).

Conclusion: There was no significant difference in long-term dental anxiety between children who had undergone treatment with a papoose board and those who had not, or between children who recalled the experience and those who did not.

How to cite this article: Sakulratchata R, Amornwanishsan S, Wongtawisombat T, et al. Long-term Dental Anxiety Levels in Children Treated with and without Papoose Board: A Retrospective Cohort Pilot Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2025;18(6):703-708.